Soddim,
Read what the manifesto actually says very carefully, they are going to spend £2.7 Billion more than Labour ON THE FRONT LINE by 2007/8.
There is no new money, that £2.7Billion is going to come from within the existing Defence budget allocation by savings and efficiencies made on “non front line defence expenditure.”
They are going to find this money by, amongst other things;
Merging the DPA and the DLO
Privatising or outsourcing 12 Defence Agencies.
Cutting an additional 15% of Headquarters staff over and above the cuts proposed by Labour in the same area.
Quotes from Nicholas Soames on these measures;
“ …the reorganisation will be painful and difficult and the armed forces may not agree with the changes.”
“A lot of sacred cows are going to be slaughtered.”
All this from the very same people who brought you the sell off of the Married Quarters estate and the absolute destruction of the Defence Medical services.