Hot off the Press - the Conservative's statement on Defence:
Defence
The soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, civilians and their families that make up our Armed Forces are the backbone of this nation’s security. But more than a decade of neglect by Labour has left them overstretched, undermanned, and with key equipment arriving late.
A Conservative government will, most importantly, repair the broken Military Covenant, respect our Armed Forces, and ensure that Forces’ families and veterans are taken care of. We will double the operational bonus for troops serving in Afghanistan. And we will pilot a follow-up telephone service that will track and monitor veterans’ mental health after they leave the Armed Forces, so that those who are deemed at risk can be referred for treatment.
Our
Military Covenant Commission has recommended better ways of taking care of service members and their families. The
Commission's report will provide the basis for our Armed Forces manifesto which will establish a strong relationship between the Armed Forces and the next Conservative government.
A Conservative government will
match defence resources with commitments by launching a Strategic Defence Review and introducing a US-style system of regular defence reviews. We will also conduct a capabilities review to maximise efficiency in the Ministry of Defence.
Future defence procurement projects will be determined on five criteria:
- Capability
- Interoperability
- Adaptability
- Affordability
- Exportability
We will streamline the procurement process to
ensure the speedy delivery of equipment to the front line.
We will ensure that NATO, not the EU, remains the cornerstone of our nation’s defence. And we are committed to replacing Trident and maintaining the UK's independent nuclear deterrent.
Hmm. If the Conservatives forms a majority government, what then?
- The QEC meet all the criteria, especially the exportability bit. India? Interested?
- EU - slap in the face. Does the UK withdraw personnel and resources committed to EU missions?
- Quadriennial Reviews? Decisional statis for the last two years preceeding a review?
Comments from fellow PPruners...