Shadow defence minister and Essex MP "very keen" to increase defence spending
Kemi Badenoch appointed Mark Francois MP Rayleigh and Wickford to Tory shadow cabinet yesterday (5 November)
Newly appointed shadow defence minister and South Essex MP tells us he's "very keen" to increase defence spending to 3% of GDP.
Mark Francois has been the Conservative MP for Rayleigh and Wickford since 2001.
Mrs Badenoch, the MP for North West Essex, appointed Mr Francois in her shadow cabinet on 5 November.
She said she'll "win back the trust of the public" as she revealed her new cabinet.
Mr Francois today (6 November) told Greatest Hits Radio Essex, he'd "just received a handshake from the Prime Minister saying congratulations."
"My first duty in an increasingly dangerous world is to keep our people safe", Mr Francois told Greatest Hits Radio Essex.
Previously he served as Vice Chamberlain of Her Majesty’s Household, Government Whips Office from May 2010 until September 2012 and Minister of State for the Armed Forces from September 2012 until May 2015 under Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron.
He was elected the Conservative MP for Rayleigh and Wickford in 2001.
"I'm very keen that we increase our spending on defence to 2.5% or ideally 3% of GDP", he continues.
"I've always believed the first duty of government, above all others, is the defence of the realm, I got that from my father."
While in university, Mr Francois served as a member of the territorial army, leaving in 1989.
He aims to "hold the Ministry of Defence to account" and "do the job responsibly".
The news follows the appointment of Castle Point MP Rebecca Harris to the role of chief whip in the new cabinet.