Was it Douglas Hurd who said that the UK Armed Forces are a good export - helping the UK to "punch above its weight?"
Perhaps it is time that the unthinkable was addressed: less spending on foreign power projection and more spending on the home front i.e. homeland defence, "some" NATO/Euro RRF - and savings therefore made for the NHS, Transport infrastructure, free care for OAPs etc.
I am only too well aware that such an initiative would lead to compulsary redundancies. I would be happy to take compulsary redundancy....
The Empire has gone. The Commonwealth, well...
The Dutch, Norwegians, Belgians etc all seem to have a voice without committing their forces here there and everywhere.
Of course, we do have to do our bit for the special relationship, that I know...