We are living in the most dangerous of times. Instability is growing across large swathes of the world, threatening Britain’s interests and security. Our enemies are bolstering their militaries.
With so many threats, our Armed Forces stand between this country and potential disaster. Yet rarely have they been in such a hideously parlous state.
A blistering report by the public accounts committee today lays bare the crisis.
The Army, Navy and RAF are significantly short of the troops and equipment needed to fight wars or deploy operationally.
The financial ‘black hole’ between the defence capabilities that top brass insist we need and their budget has never been larger – standing at a barely believable £17billion.
With so many threats, our Armed Forces stand between this country and potential disaster (stock image)
The Army, Navy and RAF are significantly short of the troops and equipment needed to fight wars or deploy operationally (stock image)
The financial ‘black hole’ between the defence capabilities that top brass insist we need and their budget has never been larger – standing at a barely believable £17billion (stock image)
Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt (pictured) are quick to trumpet Britain’s military prowess. But rarely has the gap between bellicose rhetoric and reality been more glaringly apparent
The size of the Army has fallen to its smallest since the Napoleonic wars, Royal Navy vessels are being mothballed because of a recruitment crisis and the RAF has perilously few planes.
So what will it take to convince this Government that it must start taking defence more seriously?
Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt are quick to trumpet Britain’s military prowess. But rarely has the gap between bellicose rhetoric and reality been more glaringly apparent. It was truly scandalous that, with Britain more threatened than at any time since the Cold War, they couldn’t find a single extra penny for our depleted defences in the Budget. They must rethink.
It is imperative the Government devotes adequate resources to the military, rather than exhibiting the mentality of unimaginative and myopic bean counters.
The Mail understands these are straitened times. But there is a powerful case for raising defence spending from 2.3 to 4 per cent of GDP in the medium term.
Money should not simply be spent on conventional forces, but weapons for the wars of the future: drones, cyber, driverless tanks and ships. Russia wants to put nuclear weapons in space. We must be able to combat that appalling threat.
There should also be an urgent overhaul of defence procurement. The Ministry of Defence is the most incompetent and wasteful government department. Even when new kit or hardware does work, it invariably comes in late and over budget.
It’s good watchdogs are identifying the MoD’s failings and inefficiencies. It would be better if ministers acted on their findings instead of simply dismantling our defences.
Pensioner power
One of the oldest rules in politics is that you cross Britain’s pensioners at your peril.
While many younger people can’t be bothered to vote, the elderly troop to the ballot box in impressive numbers.
Given the propensity of many of them to vote blue rather than red, the Tories ought to be wary of angering or frustrating them.
So neglecting the nation’s 13million or so pensioners in the Budget was perhaps not the Chancellor’s cleverest idea. In choosing to knock 2p off National Insurance rather than reducing income tax, he excluded them from his round of giveaways.
Yet thanks to allowances being frozen, millions of over-65s who draw money from pensions have been dragged into paying income tax. To be fair to Mr Hunt, many will get a bumper 8.5 per cent state pension increase next month under the triple-lock promise – roughly £900 a year.
But picking the pockets of traditional Tories, rather than slashing spending by wasteful departments, is a terrible mistake.
The Conservatives are already floundering in the polls. It is playing with fire to take their most loyal supporters for granted.