Telegraph On-Line this afternoon:-
George Osborne:
Trident is not exempt from budget cuts.
George Osborne has stoked a Cabinet row over funding for the Trident weapons system by insisting that Britain’s nuclear defence was not exempt from budget cuts.
snip.
In words which are likely to infuriate Dr Fox, he added: “All budgets have pressure. I don’t think there’s anything particularly unique about the Ministry of Defence. “I have made it very clear that Trident renewal costs must be taken as part of the defence budget.”
See link for the full article. If accurate, the inter-Service squabble over funding will reach dizzying new heights
(or they will for once take action in unison - military coup anyone?
)
Flippant mode OFF: It beggars belief that the capital cost of Trident be added to the existing MOD budget whilst simultaneously imposing swingeing cuts on said budget. What on earth would we be left with?