It feels like an understatement to say that the international picture has changed beyond recognition in the last few weeks.
Trumpā€™s interventions in Ukraine have forced the UK and our continental neighbours to completely rethink our defence and security arrangements. And, his tariffs have torn apart the established world economic order.
I have vigorously backed the Prime Ministerā€™s leadership on the international stage on these issues.
In particular, I strongly support his commitment to increase investment in our armed forces and defence.
This is because I believe that ensuring our countryā€™s security is the number one duty of any government.
But itā€™s also because I have met hundreds of servicemen and women at home and abroad and have come to understand some of the very real challenges that they face.
The truth is that our armed forces are severely stretched because of years of underinvestment. We simply must provide the state-of-the art technology and equipment that they require to be effective in modern warfare.
This is not only in the interests of national defence and but also in the interests of Aldershot and Farnborough.
Quite apart from the Army itself, some of the biggest names in the defence and aviation industries are based in this area, including household names like QinetiQ, ADS and BAE.
The Prime Ministerā€™s promise of sustained increases in defence investment will give these companies the certainty they need to expand and the time we need to develop our skills base.
That means more jobs locally. The majority of these will be highly skilled and well paid since salaries in the defence sector are 33% above the manufacturing average.
If we can strengthen our education and skills institutions, we can ensure that more and more local people can take these jobs.
But speaking to local businesses there are a number of barriers.
Many of you will have seen the campaign that I and my colleague Luke Charters MP have led to encourage financial businesses to revise Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) commitments to allow them to invest in defence.
In my view, the idea that UK investors should not invest in our defence because of these commitments is illogical. Surely, there can be no more ethical investment than defending this country and giving the Ukrainian people every ounce of support that we can?
I am pleased to say that I have had considerable support for this position from my peers and, increasingly from the financial services sector too.
In addition, I have successfully argued that the way to multiply the impact is to structure the government contracts to allow small and medium-sized companies, including many local firms, to bid for them.
By tackling these barriers, we have a chance to propel our economic fortunes forward, to unlock the potential of local companies and open up opportunities for local people, while at the same time modernising our countryā€™s defences.
We are talking about very big wins for our community and for our country.
