The defence review is split into different sections, each led by different people:
• Defence procurement review: this will be led by Jim Murphy, the shadow defence secretary, and Michael Dugher, one of his junior ministers. Murphy and Dugher will be advised by Bill Thomas, formerly of Hewlett Packard, Tony Roulstone, formerly of Rolls-Royce's nuclear division, and Lord West, the former chief of the naval staff.
• International threats and future posture: this will be led by the junior defence minister, Russell Brown.
• Future armed forces: this will be led by the junior minister Kevan Jones.
• Multilateralism and defence: this will be led by Murphy.
• Future of the military covenant: this will be led by the junior minister Gemma Doyle.
Tom Clark writes:
Ever since the Iraq war, military and diplomatic affairs have had a higher political profile than for some time, although not one that has played happily for Labour.
Having denounced the Iraq invasion, Miliband can offer a cleaner sheet here than in some other areas. The width of this range of reviews reflects that, although Labour's support for the Nato operation in Libya restricts the water between him and the coalition at present.
Fearing being painted as a throwback to Labour's CND days, Miliband has insisted he is a multilateralist and not a unliateralist disarmer, which may preclude him from declaring the nuclear deterrent the anachronism that many defence analysts say it is.
But he did part company with his brother during the leadership election by insisting he would back a review of whether the deterrent could be maintained through a less expensive means than Trident, an opening that could allow policy to move on.
Should Labour be championing our overstretched soldiers or explaining that the country itself is overstretched in a manner it can no longer afford?
