Does anybody really believe it would be any different under a different government?
What's that got to do with the price of fish? This government has a basic dilemma, to stay in power it must seem to be against continually raising taxes. We all know that isn't the case, but the taxes raised are stealth ones with a perceived low political cost. But it still has very expensive tastes, for the answer to all shortcomings in Social Welfare, Education and Health issues is to throw more and more of our money at them. The shortfall has to be made up by the Departments that the members of this government have a historic antipathy to. Chief amongst these by far is Defence. Their problem is that the 'solution' of reducing the size of our Armed Forces to match the reduced resources available is already at or below minimum for the ever increasing tasks placed upon them by the same government. The 'something' that has consequently to give is the quantity and quality of equipment needed. Add in the particularly high level of plain and simple incompetence exhibited by those trying to pull off this conjuring trick and the result is the present dangerous shambles. That they are aided and abetted in this treachery by the professional heads of our Armed Forces, who conveniently see their roles as "Orders must be obeyed at all times without question" is to my mind the real scandal of this scandalous situation. That the potential saviours of the Nation would appear to be the Judges and the Coroners speaks well of them and volumes about Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition.