It is rare to hear the defence establishment talking plainly about the need to protect Britain against external threats.
“We will continue to be a leading member of NATO, we will continue to be a leading defence nation, and we will continue to contribute in a whole variety of ways across nuclear, cyber, and conventional capabilities.”
Government research shows that the average person is roughly eleven times more likely to be the victim of cyber-crime than an in-person robbery.
She will be feeling a hand of history on her shoulder, and wondering if the other holds a knife at her back.
On corruption, fragility, innovation, human capital, creditworthiness, GDP per head – all the measures that count for most – the country is, to put it politely, not in a great place.
We don’t yet know if Russia poisoned Sergei Skripal. But there was already more than enough reason not to take part in the Kremlin’s propaganda tournament.
Our plan seems to have been little more than to cobble together just enough kit to make us a Great Power on the cheap. That cannot continue.
What needs to be customised about email? Or file storage? Or even how council tax IT systems work? We can save money, improve security, and provide a better service.
As the Prime Minister told Putin last night: “We know what you are doing. And you will not succeed.”
Just as with electrical and product safety certifications, there needs to be a standard which is enforced for the software elements of all such products before they can be sold.
The Home Office has somewhat improved its position, but still seems to think the will of a minister can overcome the laws of mathematics.
No more foreign funding of extremism. No more self-appointed “community” intermediaries. No more pretence that it’s all about cyberspace.
The Defence Secretary says some NHS Trusts persist in using old computer systems despite the Government urging otherwise.
The MoD should use the opportunity of Brexit to reflect on whether EU competition rules should continue to apply to procurement.