UK Defence Forum

dmereifield wrote:It seems I gave TM too much credit, he wasn't even on the list!

The balance within the Cabinet is precarious, only bring in trustworthy... job quals? Hey... whose got a dictionary to hand!What does that stand for?

I saw the mini-SDSR coming; I did not see this coming.

The 2010 SDSR may have been a working accident, by an inexperienced crew that was in a hurry. Then we had a PM who still thought that nothing had happened to the Armed Forces and continued posturing in that vein. At least he and Sarko had a chemistry, and something sensible was started (...will it ever come to fruition) to do more with less.
- even Hollande got it right once. On Mali he must have asked himself "What would Sarko do, if he was still here".

Well, our new Gvmnt is (on defence) worse than the ignorant bunch before them. They either did not know or understand; this one does not care.
- hence I will be here occasionally, but much less than before
- and train spotters can have their field day, too

HMMMM so the former chief whip is now the def sec........how much did he know about the allegations what did he do did he try and cover them up. any other scandals he'd like taken into consideration sincehe went into the whips office. Because the whips office is going to be the center of scrunity so we could see one of the shortest tenures of Sec of Defence

I have a feeling that "aircraft carrier" and "extended readiness" may be used in the same sentence again soon....

Thomas Inskip at least had SOME military/intelligence experience back during the WW1.

hopper wrote:Did he mention the £178 billion in his resignation letter ?

And rising defence budget

Ex chief whip.
Shout the party line, and know bugger all about defence?
A reward cabinet position for an arse kissing 'enforcer' ?

andrew98 wrote:Ex chief whip.
Shout the party line, and know bugger all about defence?
A reward cabinet position for an arse kissing 'enforcer' ?

with what's about to land on the Whip's office i'll be very surprised if he makes it to christmas

marktigger wrote:so we could see one of the shortest tenures of Sec of Defence

Just when the tenures got onto an improving trend...

My first thought, and the only thing that I feel regretful over Fallon and his cowardly tactics leaving is how this might affect exports for the Typhoon.

Changing "salesman" is a rough thing in any market.

RetroSicotte wrote: and his cowardly tactics

May be he is planning to do a "Theresa May" and walk back to the party leader/ PM job at the point in time when all the other contestants are corpses, each with a knife sticking out from the back

Might want to keep that collection bucket for the defence budget...

ArmChairCivvy wrote:

RetroSicotte wrote: and his cowardly tactics

May be he is planning to do a "Theresa May" and walk back to the party leader/ PM job at the point in time when all the other contestants are corpses, each with a knife sticking out from the back

marktigger wrote:

ArmChairCivvy wrote:

RetroSicotte wrote: and his cowardly tactics

May be he is planning to do a "Theresa May" and walk back to the party leader/ PM job at the point in time when all the other contestants are corpses, each with a knife sticking out from the back

He will probably be gone before May. As the former chief whip, he is first in the frame when they ask the question, "Who knew about all the sex case MPs in the Tory party and did nothing about it?"

clinch wrote:He will probably be gone before May. As the former chief whip, he is first in the frame when they ask the question, "Who knew

...and getting a warm welcome:
"The Armed Forces love instant tradition and they love regimental pomp, finery and animal mascots. If ever there was a time for a tarantula to join the Army as a regimental mascot, then this is it…"

It is most unfortunate that the only purpose for the Minister of Defence's post is to (re)balance the cabinet. Half a year ago I wrote this on the Conservative Party thread:
"overgrown schoolboys who shirk their homework, then talk their way out of detention.

It is a trait Davis shares with Boris Johnson, one of his rivals in a succession battle, should Theresa May be deposed. Both have a reputation in government for ignoring their briefing notes."

So if these two play themselves out (before even lacing their boots, as the article puts it in another context), whose's left?
-------------
Well, not many. With Fallon gone, Ms. May grooming a counter-weight for Phil?

Not sure how reliable this is but...

New Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson goes to war with Philip Hammond by tearing up plans to scrap two amphibious landing ships - saving 1,000 Royal Marines from the chop

Chancellor Philip Hammond wants the MoD to make cuts to pay for new ships
The Royal Navy is currently in the process of commissioning two aircraft carriers
HMS Queen Elizabeth will receive its first F-35 B fast jets sometime next year
The Treasury wants cuts across the forces to pay for the new ships and jets


Former Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon was believed to be in favour of making the cuts, however his replacement wants to commit more spending to the military.

A senior military source told the Sun: 'The chiefs were sceptical of Gavin Williamson at first because he's young and clearly inexperienced.

'But if the government is going to preach Global Britain, at some stage they actually have to be able to deliver on it.

'He has understood that very quickly, and is going to take on the Treasury instead.'

Mr Williamson said he wanted to keep British defence spending above 2 per cent.

He continued: 'I am taking the opportunities to look at all the arguments, all the information, so that we can make the strongest arguments to make sure our armed services have the right resources they need in order to do their job.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -cuts.html

here's hoping....

His first "Oral Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence" today.

http://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/84 ... edf13e6f6e

At defence questions in parliament today, a Tory backbencher (forget who?) asked the Secretary of State for defence to work toward removing the cost of trident from the defence budget.

Here’s hoping.

From what I got today, GW is pushing for a better budget but doesn't want to say for certain about anything as, if he says he's keep something and then loses it, he knows Labour will have a circlejerk about it.

Man would expect from former Defence Secretary ( Hammond ) to show more understanding and leniency towards Defence.

Smokey wrote:At defence questions in parliament today, a Tory backbencher (forget who?) asked the Secretary of State for defence to work toward removing the cost of trident from the defence budget.

Here’s hoping.

The sun is pushing this one,maybe it will get some traction. How much would it free up from the defence budget if the costs were removed but the defence budget was maintained at 2% (plus the 0.5% above inflation)?

My eternal worry is that even if extra money happens, defence companies just see a free for all to bump prices knowing there's sudden cash to be had, and very little will actually change.

It's been the same for a decade now, even just stabilising and retaining current numbers alone would be a dream result.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... mmons.html

Well the new boy is certainly more robust and aggressive than Fallon....I hope his differing approach does result in additional funding allocation. He apparently has the ear of the PM, and the PM can't stand Hammond, so hopefully she will be supportive. She does need to throw some red meat to the back benchers as well....so maybe the new SDSR review will culminate just in time for the spring statement to announce some additional funds....