http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/04/ndefence104.xml
Cabinet split over defence cuts
By Laura Clout
Last Updated: 7:48am GMT 04/12/2007
Plans to slash the defence budget by up to £15 billion over the next decade has caused a split in the Cabinet leading to the Ministry of Defence delaying the publication of its latest 10 year industrial strategy, due to be published next Thursday.
Overall spending on defence is due to rise from £34.1 billion next year to £36.9 billion in 2010, but Whitehall is said to be split over cuts which could include reducing the number of new Astute nuclear powered submarines being built at Barrow from eight to as few as four and cancelling orders for the seventh and eigth Type 45 frigate at Portsmouth or diverting them from the Royal Navy by selling them to the Malaysian navy.
The revelation, in a report by spending watchdogs on the cost of Britain’s 20 biggest weapon projects, put the likely cost overrun at £2.5 billion out of a total bill of £28 billion.
15 billion British pounds is approx. 31 billion US dollars.
Can we now finally agree that Blair was the best Prime Minister in a while? He would never go for this.
Isn’t Gordon Brown always partial to defense cuts?? I thought that the UK was ready to hold the line after years of savage cuts to their military, but apparently they are not done yet.
Brits will take this 15 billion and blow it on “free health care”. More medical and pregnancy support for Muslims so they can have larger families and swamp the UK quicker
The British military is rapidly regressing into third rate status.
I heard reports that Defence spending for Afghanistan is going to increase by 39% (roughly another £1bn) with another slight increase in Iraq.
I see that certain parts of the AF are going to feel the squeeze, and in times of war I dont think that should be the case. But in our two major conflicts we are fighting at the moment, spending is just going up and up.