Liam Fox Secretary of State for Defence

[vecvechookattack]

Just confirmed on BBC....



........ A GP...AAArrrgghhhh......

[Thelma Viaduct]

If it's not one arse hole, it will only be another.

Where's the problem?

Ian Holloway for PM :ok:

[The B Word]

Here's some good news. At least we can relax the ridiculous laptop rules for RESTRICTED laptops with this precedent that happened this year:

Liam Fox, the shadow defence secretary, has had his laptop and car stolen from his flat in London, the Conservative party has confirmed.

[Sir Herbert Gussett]

Must have a big flat if someone knicked his car from it.

[Lima Juliet]

Maybe it was this robber disguised as a Fireman...:}

http://numbcranium.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/flying-car.jpg

[Hipper]

Now lads, Fox hunting is still banned, for the moment.

[L J R]

His outgoing predecessor had something to say on his departure...

Ministry of Defence | Defence News | Defence Policy and Business | Bob Ainsworth sends message to Defence staff (http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/DefencePolicyAndBusiness/BobAinsworthSendsMessageToDefenceStaff.htm)


Well so what mate.....?

[Grabbers]

Will Dr Fox keep his 2nd job on Capital Radio as well. He could be like Swiss Tony and 'double hat'.

[endplay]

Surely the loss of his laptop was the deal clincher in his appointment as boss of MoD?

[Sospan]

Any news on the Minister of State for the Armed Forces after we gave Bill Rammell the boot?

[Jimlad1]

"Any news on the Minister of State for the Armed Forces after we gave Bill Rammell the boot?"

No other ministers announced yet - likely to be a day or two. Whoever it is can't be worse than that rude, obnoxious control freak who was probably the most loathed and despised minister in the MOD in recent years.

[EODFelix]

Possibly Dr Andrew Murrison , was shadow Defence spokesman before election (yes another GP - but ex-RN Surgeon Commander and was mobilised to Iraq in 2003)?

[Lima Juliet]

I saw Liam Fox brief the MoD staffs this afternoon in the "Pillared Hall" and at first impressions he gave a good account of himself. I was particularly impressed with his direction for Service people not being afraid to say "no" and rely upon their considerable experience; he gave the impression that Labour's era of "spin" was at an end - I guess transparency and honesty are the "name of the game" for now to instil confidence in the people once again?

I'm hopeful that this is the shape of things to come?

LJ

[Jimlad1]

Andrew Murrison is still serving RNR, and is an active participant in the reserve forces (not just borne for social purposes). Additionally a new backbencher has done one HERRICK tour with the TA Gunners.

Saw Liam Fox today as well - thought he was okay, but felt his point about taking risks, instead of opposing Govt policy seemed a dig to suggest that there may be "New Labour holdouts" inside the MOD who don't want to help. Maybe it wasnt intended that way, but it annoyed quite a few people I spoke to.

[LOTA]

The newly-elected Conservative MP for Colne Valley is an ex-RAF officer of fairly recent vintage. I know because I served alongside him at a long-closed station in the wilds (and I mean wilds) of Norfolk. Perhaps he might get a junior ministerial job!

[SilsoeSid]

LOTA,

Are you sure he's a good candidate for the post?

http://jasonmccartney.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/jmraf.jpg?w=440&h=352

For 9 years I was an officer in the RAF serving at home and abroad. I served in Las Vegas, Turkey, Gibraltar, Germany, Cyprus and Iraq.

I left the RAF, went to University and for the next 9 years I was a broadcast journalist. After a year with BBC Radio in Leeds and Middlesbrough, I got a job with ITV Yorkshire in Leeds. I rose up through the pecking order to become the weekend presenter for Calendar News & Sport. I interviewed the likes of David Beckham, Geoff Boycott and Dame Kelly Homes. I first got into broadcasting by hosting the very early morning radio show on Huddersfield FM (now Pennine FM) back in 1995 whilst still in the RAF.

I’m a Hudderdsfield Town season ticket holder and sponsor one of the players.

Proudest moment: reporting pitch side for Calendar at the 2004 playoff final win over Mansfield. “I had to be impartial but inside I was jubilant.”


May well have beeen in the RAF, but has spent longer as a journo! Even broadcasting while serving, so where would his interests really be?

[antisthenes]

Col (retd) Bob Stewart was elected as conservative MP for Beckenham. What's more, he has already re-enforced his credentials with a very non-PC comment to some ladies down the pub!

[LOTA]

Sid, old boy,,

I wasn't being entirely serious in my suggestion! However, at least he would have some experience of the military rather than the recent string of no-hopers with no experience who have occupied the various defence ministerial appointments.

Whether it's an apocryphal tale or not, I have it on good authority that one of Nu Labour's Defence Ministers went on the usual air-to-air refuelling sortie from Brize. Having been comprehensively briefed, he turned to the escorting officer as some Tornados appeared and asked "Are those aircraft ours?" :ugh:

[RileyDove]

I guess now they can look at shutting bases in Scotland for a change instead of being frightened of Brown and his mates!

[Jet Dragoneer]

Closing Scottish bases! Liam is - wait for it - a Scot. so maybe too quickly off your mark old boy!! :=

[Bunker Mentality]

BBC website is reporting 2 junior ministerial appointments (both tories):

Baroness Pauline Neville-Jones as 'Security Minister'

Gerald Howarth as 'Junior Defence Minister'

Labour had 5, I think, so presumably more to come.

[Dimmer Switch]

Just picked up on this website:

PoliticsHome | The coalition cabinet and ministerial appointments | Research (http://www.politicshome.com/uk/article/9101/the_coalition_cabinet_and_ministerial_appointments.html#teat her)

Minister of State (Minister for the Armed Forces) – Nick Harvey - Lib Dem

[Grabbers]

At least there is some military experience here:

Ministry of Defence | Defence News | Defence Policy and Business | Gerald Howarth and Andrew Robathan confirmed as Parliamentary Under Secretaries of State for the MOD (http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/DefencePolicyAndBusiness/GeraldHowarthAndAndrewRobathanConfirmedAsParliamentaryUnderS ecretariesOfStateForTheMod.htm)

[hello1]

It would be nice if whoever wrote the MOD website had a clue..... The Permanent Under Secretary is a civil servant. Trivial point perhaps - but the sort of mistake that you'd expect to see in the Mail.

[Grimweasel]

Looks like the RAF and SF are safe in the Defence Review then :)

[Trim Stab]

At least there is some military experience here:

Having military experience is not necessarily a guarantee of being a good Defence Secretary. Malcolm Rifkind had no military experience - but was very popular and competent as DS, principally for energetically advancing and defending the MOD budget in cabinet, but then letting MOD control how they spent it without too much political interference. On the other hand, John Nott was a former Ghurka officer, but was widely ridiculed and disliked as DS.

[Wyler]

I think all the purely for/against AD military arguments here have considerable merit.

However, these are politicians we are dealing with. To remove QRA, a token force already, would IMHO be politically unlikely as it would not go down well with the general public. At a time when lack of any kind of border control is causing huge unrest to further cut it, in any form, is an unlikely move by any of our leaders, whatever their political pursuasion. It is not about effectiveness, it is about perception. There is, I agree, no threat either. However, there is still a capability out there, which is actively demonstrated on a regular basis, do we just ignore it?

It is also another (small) cog in the counter terrorism machine, a hot topic now and for the forseeable future. Furthermore, AD is still an exportable 'business', especially to the Middle eastern countries and, therefore, a money spinner.

There is also our commitment to NATO in Europe.

I just think that pure capability arguments are irrelevant on their own. Since when has any Government ever made a decision based purely on practical need? They are sensitive to public mood (?)/media and, irrespective of the technical arguments, the UK public would vote to have it's military visible at home.

I think the bottom line here is that we need to effectively demonstrate our capability/intent to defend our own territories before we go a long way from home to defend others. Also, if you remove it altogether, it is gone forever. That strikes me as daft for an island nation.


I hope the SDR is balanced and looks properly into the future.

[Lima Juliet]

Wyler, good post.

"Balanced Force Mix" - will be the buzzwords for SDR...

...and rightly so. :D

[GasFitter]

Malcolm Rifkind had no military experience - but was very popular and competent as DS, principally for energetically advancing and defending the MOD budget in cabinet, but then letting MOD control how they spent it without too much political interference.

Really! He was the one who got his knickers in a twist over CAS comments and made him retract ..... if my memory serves me right!

Well .... there must be so much to look forward to under this new Tory government ..... that last time they were in power we had split pay rises (1% in April and the rest in December), closure of all military hospitals, selling off of FMQs, NMS (No Money Sunshine) ... etc .... can't wait for the next great ideas!

[flipster]

He was the one who got his knickers in a twist over CAS comments and made him retract

I thought that it was Michael Portaloo who carpeted CAS?

[ASRAAM]

Was Rifkind the one in charge when the Defence Medical Services were decimated and most of the Military Hospitals were closed.

Not one of the better decisions!