that was tobias ellwood. we don't know how much he has the ear of that was tobias ellwood.minister, but rishi sunak has promised what he called a "gear change" in the country's support for ukraine. there are no plans to build weapons factories in poland. however, a government statement has now confirmed that the uk will be the first country to send western tanks to ukraine, ia of the challenger ii models, to be precise. to tell us more, i'm joined the bbc�*s europe regional editor, paul moss. took us through this uk government statement. it took us through this uk government statement. . ., , �* ., statement. it confirms britain will be sendin: statement. it confirms britain will be sending the — statement. it confirms britain will be sending the challenger - statement. it confirms britain will be sending the challenger tanks, | statement. it confirms britain will i be sending the challenger tanks, 14 be sending the challenger tanks, ia of them, not the dozen first thought of, and we will be sending soft propelled artillery. i think it is the reasoning behind this that is m

that was tobias ellwood. the ear of the british prime minister, but rishi sunak has promised what he called a "gear change" in the country's support for ukraine — in a government statement the uk confirmed it will be be the first country to send western tanks to ukraine, 1a of the challenger ii models to be precise. to find out more, i've been speaking to the bbc�*s europe regional editor, paul moss. britain will be sending the challenger tanks, 1a of them, not the dozen that was first thought of. it also says will be sending self—propelled artillery. but i think it's the reasoning behind this that's more interesting than the statement itself, which in a sense was expected. this suggestion you mentioned of a gear change. what the statement says is russia is on the back foot, suffering from low morale and resupply issues. and what it argues is this is a window of opportunity to really make a difference and to push russia back. and it explicitly calls on allies, britain's allies, to do more and to do it now. an

and indeed that backed up by tobias ellwood , defence tobias ellwood, defence select committee said thent should reverse cuts in as equipment in the army as equipment is becoming . let's get the thoughts becoming. let's get the thoughts now of philip ingram joining us former senior military intelligence officer. philip, it's a bit of a chorus growing at a time, of course, when the government keeps they haven't got any money to do anything. well is it's not the first time a us general has said that the uk hasn't got the ability to be a tier military force and the uk still really the only country can put an armoured formation alongside , a us armoured alongside, a us armoured formation in a war fighting environment. and there's just got the ability to do that, but only just. i think the army's having real difficulty and money being spent on it as opposed the air force and the navy who can clearly demonstrate their prowess from an international and a britain international perspective , whereas the army is perspective, whereas the army is having difficulty doing that and the army managing t

speaking on bbc breakfast this morning, the chair of the british mps defence select committee, tobias ellwood like equipment rather than considering a strategy for ukrainian success. we can'tjust keep gifting different variants of equipment, supply chains... it is not sustainable. in my view we should be developing a ukrainian arms factory, an assembly line in eastern poland so it can procure its own military kit, ammunitions for the long—term, that would be a strategic objective we could all agree on. we should be listing the wagner group as well, putting pressure on them but ultimately it is the leadership that we require. i would like britain to advance what it is doing, it has done an incredible job but we haven't barked to hesitant. the labour leader keir starmer has told the bbc�*s laura kuenssberg he has concerns about gender legislation in scotland. he also said he doesn't back 16 year olds changing gender and said he wants to see what the uk government says about blocking the scottish bill this week. 0ur political correspondent david wallace lockhart is with me in the studio. the leg

speaking on bbc breakfast this morning, the chair of the defence select committee, tobias ellwood, saidrategy for ukrainian success. we can'tjust keep gifting different variants of equipment, supply chains... it is not sustainable. in my view we should be developing a ukrainian arms factory, an assembly line in eastern poland so it can procure its own military kit, ammunitions for the long—term, that would be a strategic objective we could all agree on. we should be listing the wagner group as well, putting pressure on there but ultimately it is the leadership that we require. i would like britain to advance what it is doing, it has done an incrediblejob, but we have been far too hesitant. that has all played into russia's interests. the uk's transport secretary mark harper says he hopes a deal can be reached this week between rail companies and unions to avoid further strike action. the uk has recently been rocked by industrial action causing mass disruption to the railways with fears that more walk—outs would further weaken demand in travel and the wider economy. the minister added th

and the thing, tobias ellwood the other thing, tobias ellwood , saying , conservative mp, is saying thatld issue a statement humility as if the one that i'm going to do anything to doesn't strike me as the most humble person. so seems humble person. so that seems a pretty empty yeah. it's pretty empty gesture. yeah. it's too isn't he? he's just too late, isn't he? he's just the cat out of the bag with his 25 kills. well, what does the taliban soldiers in a taliban expect soldiers in a war to done? mean? it's an to have done? i mean? it's an odd thing that. they're odd thing for that. they're surprised. strange surprised. but it also strange that, harry's held up that, you know, harry's held up as sort of paragon of as this sort of paragon of callow foreign and he's callow foreign walkers. and he's aware racism and aware of systemic racism and stuff, but also he showed 25 guys who are defending their country, i he country, you know i mean, he went afghanistan, 25 went to afghanistan, got 25 muslim like who's muslim guys. it's like who's that to the that beat on to the intersectional. of i

and the thing, tobias ellwood the other thing, tobias ellwood , saying , conservative mp, is saying thatld issue a statement humility as if the one that i'm going to do anything to doesn't strike me as the most humble person. so seems humble person. so that seems a pretty empty yeah. it's pretty empty gesture. yeah. it's too isn't he? he's just too late, isn't he? he's just the cat out of the bag with his 25 kills. well, what does the taliban soldiers in a taliban expect soldiers in a war to done? mean? it's an to have done? i mean? it's an odd thing that. they're odd thing for that. they're surprised. strange surprised. but it also strange that, harry's held up that, you know, harry's held up as sort of paragon of as this sort of paragon of callow foreign and he's callow foreign walkers. and he's aware racism and aware of systemic racism and stuff, but also he showed 25 guys who are defending their country, i he country, you know i mean, he went afghanistan, 25 went to afghanistan, got 25 muslim like who's muslim guys. it's like who's that to the that beat on to the intersectional. of i

we're no longer regarded as a top level fighting and indeed conservative member of parliament, tobias ellwoode chair of the defence committee, said he , is defence committee, said he, is very concerned . rishi sunak, in very concerned. rishi sunak, in response . oh, absolutely. we're response. oh, absolutely. we're still a top level fight force. well, the defence editor and veteran commentator on these , veteran commentator on these, con coughlin from the daily telegraph joins me down the line now come if i put you up if i put you up against the wall and ask you do we still have top level fighting forces , in your level fighting forces, in your opinion . we have some elements opinion. we have some elements that are top level, but looking at it in the round nigel the us army general is quite correct and the us army have been saying to me for a or more that we are losing our war fighting capability . the basic capability. the basic requirement of the british army to a top level fighting force is this to have the ability to deploy and sustain a war fighting division . at the moment fighting divi

we're no longer regarded as a top level fighting and indeed conservative member of parliament, tobias ellwoodair of the defence committee, said he , is defence committee, said he, is very concerned . rishi sunak, in very concerned. rishi sunak, in response . oh, absolutely. we're response. oh, absolutely. we're still a top level fight force. well, the defence editor and veteran commentator on these , veteran commentator on these, con coughlin from the daily telegraph joins me down the line now come if i put you up if i put you up against the wall and ask you do we still have top level fighting forces , in your level fighting forces, in your opinion . we have some elements opinion. we have some elements that are top level, but looking at it in the round nigel the us army general is quite correct and the us army have been saying to me for a or more that we are losing our war fighting capability . the basic capability. the basic requirement of the british army to a top level fighting force is this to have the ability to deploy and sustain a war fighting division . at the moment fighting division

let's speak to tobias ellwood, conservative mp and chair of the defence select committee. you for talking to us. some announcements, some decisions coming out of germany and that meeting, but crucially not the one that ukraine once, not more promises of tanks. what do you make of that? this once, not more promises of tanks. what do you make of that? as steve was describing _ what do you make of that? as steve was describing there, _ what do you make of that? as steve was describing there, russia - what do you make of that? as steve was describing there, russia is - was describing there, russia is moving to a war footing and ukraine will be very disappointed with the announcements that are coming out of ramstein, given that this conflict has been raging for almost a year, putin will be delighted that, once again, the west is seen to stall in its support for ukraine. i find it baffling myself, in this day and age, that we can watch an entire country, european democracy, be attacked they in and day out, get with the immense superior firepower at our disposal, we are still not

ah, the former tobias ellwood, former soldier, tobias ellwood, or a politician , because i know or a mod. well, i think the thing is actually all of those people you've mentioned have all been in twice . so it was in the army twice. so it was under my command. james heapy i knew used in knew ben wallace used to be in the scots guards, so actually we've all got a heart for this and to get this right. yes, and want to get this right. yes, we a large defence we have got a large defence budget, just look to see budget, but just look to see where it's going, it's going and i criticise decisions i don't criticise its decisions necessarily a very expensive necessarily in a very expensive programmes carrier programmes like the carrier strike f—35 strike programme, the f—35 aircraft programme, a future destroyers and frigates and so on. all that's really important is they're very, very expensive, but needs but the army also needs investing in if we want to have a land capability that can react in the same sort of way. so the ukrainians are if we still have ukrainians are, if we still have a t

those previous convictions, joining now is conservative mp and commons defence committee chair tobias ellwoodugh tobias i think are sick and tired of lessons learned . we've been lessons learned. we've been shouting about this for a very long time. this was a matter of time and series concerns. it's only a matter of time for happens again . yes. and that's happens again. yes. and that's the big that we now face. i mean , i think it's always important . start with the person, the victim . and . start with the person, the victim .and i'm pleased . start with the person, the victim . and i'm pleased you victim. and i'm pleased you mentioned that tom roberts was aspiring to be a royal, wanting to serve his country. in fact, it's in that spirit that he forward to try and calm down an argument between his friend james medway and abdul rahim. as i you know, i've got huge affinity for . anybody that steps affinity for. anybody that steps in, you know, that tries to calm situations down. i'm an interventionist myself , but interventionist myself, but things clearly spiralled terribly out of control an

that is tobias ellwood, the tory mp and chairman of the commons defence committee.her confirm nor deny. - of our tanks? the mod's line is i neither confirm nor deny. means of our tanks? the mod's line is - neither confirm nor deny. means yes! we are exoeeting _ neither confirm nor deny. means yes! we are expecting an _ neither confirm nor deny. means yes! we are expecting an announcement. l neither confirm nor deny. means yes! j we are expecting an announcement. i would be cautious about how many tanks the uk will send. we have got dozens of tanks in storage, challenger two tanks, which are more than 20 years old, but if given to ukraine they would be the most modern tank they have because until now they have been given old soviet tanks from former countries in eastern europe who are part of the soviet bloc at one stage, like poland and the czech republic. essentially, they are talking about a small number of tanks, a dozen, a squadron�*s worth of challenger tanks. the importance is more about the big picture, about crossing the threshold of doing something that has

and i think tobias ellwood bournemouth, ellwood, the mp for bournemouth, calling for an urgent inquiryain failings with this to be again failings with the home office and actually identifying this particular individual . yeah, i mean the individual. yeah, i mean the south coast, particularly from kent right the way down to devon and cornwall, we are by, you know, the pressure on local authorities from what we call games unaccompanied asylum minors. some of them are coming here course very genuinely and they are children who've been trafficked or people who've come here, children who've come here supported and often paid for by their families to across as their families to get across as a stowaway for a better life , a stowaway for a better life, and that they are heartbreaking stories. but we do also have adults , men, adult men who are adults, men, adult men who are travelling . britain claiming to travelling. britain claiming to be 14 or 15 when in fact they are 24 or 25 or even older they come with no papers. way that britain tries to age , the most britain tries to age, the most we

we're joined now by chairman of the commons defence committee, tobias ellwood. good morning, thanks forhich has been far, far too slow but it has been very late in the day, possibly too late, unless other nations follow our lead and also gift battle tanks go back to the start of the conflict. 0nce need declared it would not formally respond to the legal invasion of a european state that basically gave putin license to increase the level of risk that he could take, effectively unchallenged, on the battlefield, even allowing him to completely regroup after that failed international invasion. and as you have been saying is also being able to continue to pummel with missile attacks, ukraine's civilians and infrastructure so this is very late infrastructure so this is very late in the day but we are becoming bolder, less risk averse, by putin's retre, that this could dangerously escalate the war but if i committed clear, this year, 2023 will be a critical year determining the outcome. remember, russia's ability to enjoy hardship is far greater than ours in the west. battlelines have barely s