Speeches by Norman.

“Okay, but does it show any weaknesses in the SDR?”

“Okay. Well, may I suggest that you speak to him on our behalf? I am sure I speak for the whole Committee when I say that this is a deplorable piece of briefing that no Government should be associated with, and I hope you will send him the very best from this Committee. I hope colleagues will join me in that. The second…”

“Air Marshal, last week we saw a significant briefing in three different newspapers against CDS. Can you recall this ever happening to a serving commanding officer at a time of conflict?”

“Well, I am very sorry that you have been cut out of the loop, permanent secretary.”

“The Chief of the Defence Staff will have been briefed on this. Is he aware of it? What is his reaction? How does he feel about it? What is your view of this kind of briefing?”

“It is not remotely speculative. Anyway, here is the quote: “The truth is he’s lost the confidence of No 10. He has failed to give the Prime Minister military capability, but also diplomatic and political credibility.” That was in The Spectator. The Financial Times said that the head should “face scrutiny for the failur…”

“I asked you a historical question, which was whether you could ever recall, in the past, any commanding officer being denigrated by No. 10 during a time of conflict. Can you recall it or not? It does not matter if you can or can’t; I am just interested in whether you can.”

“It is a slight discourtesy not to let us know, as a Committee, that this announcement was coming before you appeared in front of us. I do not think that is a great look, frankly, for the MoD.”

“Okay, great. I suspect that what the Committee will want to see is progress, trajectory and rationale.”

“You never know, based on this performance.”

“Will the Leader of the House give us the forthcoming business?”

“Mr Speaker, let me start by associating myself with your remarks just now from the Chair. It is plain to all Members of the House that the Government Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip have badly mis-stepped. Indeed, there has been scant respect for the House more generally from the Government Whips Office. I cannot beli…”

“Hon. Members may wish, if they like, to consult works by the shadow Leader of the House on this topic. I doubt whether any other book or any single body of thought has had more effect in improving the lives and livelihoods of people across the world in the intervening 250 years. We celebrate the service of our armed fo…”

“I will, if I may, start by adding my very warm thanks to, and recognition of, our magnificent Clerk, Tom Goldsmith. Mr Speaker has already been indelicate enough to mention Tom’s extraordinary skill at the jazz piano, but as someone who eats very much at the opposite end of the jazz food chain, may I just say that our …”

“Will the Leader of the House give us the forthcoming business?”

“That is very helpful and interesting. Caroline, did you want to come in?”

“Very interesting. That leads to this question: if we fail to respond to actual Russian and potential Chinese assertiveness in the High North, what will be the consequences of that and what are the long-term implications for us?”

“The three of you have given a very sobering assessment of the threat but also a very interesting review of the opportunity. Thank you.”

“They are keenly aware of the fragility?”

“And they have lost the Baltic.”