“Realistic and measured” – SDP appoints Henry Bolton as spokesperson for foreign affairs, security and defence
Henry Bolton is the SDP’s newly appointed spokesperson for foreign affairs, security and defence. Henry brings two decades of strategic experience at the highest levels of international security. More recently, in the realm of politics, he was leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP).
Henry’s roles have included Chief Planner for the European Common Security and Defence Policy and Senior Adviser to the Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). At the start of his career, Henry laid the foundations of his later successes in roles with Thames Valley Police and the British Army.
Henry says: “We need to put the interests of the United Kingdom and its people first, and build national self-sufficiency and resilience. That doesn’t rule out collaborating with other countries, but our own interests should always be the priority.
Henry sees the forthcoming strategic defence review as an early policymaking priority in this area. The SDP wants to see a full-spectrum capability across defence so the country can operate independently if necessary.
“It’s wrong to think that in today’s complex and fast-moving world, we can quickly ramp up our defence capability as soon as we need to. Countries like Poland, Germany, Holland and Finland are now spending more of their national wealth on an independent defence capability. We are slipping back.”
Henry and the SDP represent British people who want to move away from foreign interventions and nation-building in other countries – which have proven so damaging and destabilising – towards a realistic and pragmatic approach to defence and security.
Henry says: “We need to build a sense of confidence, prosperity and security. Not only ‘guns and bullets’ security – important though that is – but the emotional security that comes from living in a stable community that isn’t subject to uncontrolled change.”
“Our vision is all about our own people. We want to give them a feeling of security, without which, people cannot build prosperous lives. It’s more about emotional security than guns and bullets.”
William Clouston, Party Leader of the SDP, says: “I couldn’t be more delighted to have Henry on board. Henry brings a depth of knowledge and experience in the field that we’ve never had before as a party. And that’s what we need to build mature and rounded policies that will actually work. It’s an exciting appointment.”
Henry concludes: “We’ve had enough of politicians giving headline promises without working out how to deliver them. One of the things that attracted me to the SDP was that everybody in the party is keen to understand even the most complex issues and navigate them. That’s what makes SDP’s policies stand out – they’re realistic and measured.”
