Tories remove Army cuts protesters from conference hall

[Sun Who]

BBC News - Tories remove Army cuts protesters from conference hall (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24324557)

He called for a more "rational" approach to defence spending and urged Prime Minister David Cameron to sack Mr Hammond and "get somebody who knows what they are doing to look after the forces".Best of luck with that one chap.


Sun.

[ShotOne]

Mr Hammond is far from the worst Defence Sec we've had lately. By all accounts he dealt with these two old buffers fairly courteously. Particularly since they'd become members solely to protest and the main demand was for the preservation of a specific regiment -with little concern for the rights and wrongs of any wider picture.

[Twon]

ShotOne,

I think you are right but I would caveat that with the the opinion that he is merely of his time and might not be the best man in a year or two. He was needed to bring the budget under control and has, arguably, achieved that. However, the focus in a year or 2 will most likely revert to procurement (in better financial times?) and he might not be the man for that.

Twon

[dervish]

He was needed to bring the budget under control and has, arguably, achieved that.

But how has he achieved that, if it can be called an achievement? By cutting thousands of jobs and capability. I'd give him some credit if he'd attacked the waste that still continues.

[Chugalug2]

Bang on Dervish! Broon may have a lot to answer for, but in one thing at least he had it right; calling the MOD the Ministry of Waste. Very easy to slash regiments, ships, and RAF stations. Very difficult to reform the deadliest foe that confronts our armed forces, the MOD.

[OutlawPete]

Broon may have been right about the MOD waste but did nothing about it. He was worse than any for cutbacks. I remember when those numpties came into office and he alone made it clear he would cut defence spending so he could pump more cash into the NHS black hole to pay for yet more tiers of management posts.

[ShotOne]

He may have used that phrase, chug but what did he do about it? On the other hand he spent huge sums which simply werent there which would have had to be paid whoever had got in.

In fairness, the MOD issue transcends party politics. Over the centuries the civil service has become very good at looking after itself. And what politician of any hue is "in favour" of waste?

[Chugalug2]

Don't get me wrong, Broon was a disaster for the UK, never mind for defence, but defence is the business of this forum, and to my mind it will always be seriously compromised unless and until there be total reform of the MOD.
The usual response, ie relabeling it and all its departments, will produce the usual outcome, ie more of the same.
It needs one driven and dedicated individual, the yang to Mountbatten's yin, to overturn the tables of this temple of corrupt one sided exchange. Not yet another inquiry armed from the outset with its findings, nor a committee, just one person in the forceful traditions of Peel, Trenchard, or Bevan to put the defence of the realm as the sole purpose of the reform of this monstrous carbuncle.
If it isn't done soon, the cut and slash of the inter war years will be as a land of plenty by comparison. Time for the defence of our nation to be addressed by the UK Government before it is addressed by that of others, to our very great detriment.

[Easy Street]

As long as the MoD is constrained by political considerations over procurement (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-security-through-technology-technology-equipment-and-support-for-uk-defence-and-security-cm-8278--2), it will be impossible to eliminate waste. Much as we might wish it were so, I think it unlikely that the Secretary of State for Defence has the final say in procurement decisions, especially if apocryphal tales of direct calls to Downing Street from certain corporate head offices are to be believed! Some may call it 'sovereign defence capability', others may call it 'subsidising British jobs'. Whatever; I try not to care too much since there is sod-all I'll ever be able to do about it!

As for the protesters, well, I am struggling to muster any sympathy whatsoever. Many fine units of all uniforms have disappeared forever. Heritage is undoubtedly important but it doesn't even come close to matching capability as a priority.

[Trim Stab]

Mr Hammond is far from the worst Defence Sec we've had lately. By all accounts he dealt with these two old buffers fairly courteously. Particularly since they'd become members solely to protest and the main demand was for the preservation of a specific regiment -with little concern for the rights and wrongs of any wider picture.

Well said. Hammond is the best DS we have had since Rifkind. He has a successful track record in the private sector and has not just built his entire career by spending public money.

[dervish]

Easy Street

I agree with you but think the initial decision to award contracts to favoured companies or those who lobby loudest, should be separated from how the subsequent contract is then mismanaged. Nimrod MRA4 will always be the classic example. Say what you want about the aircraft selection, but the mismanagement verged on fraud IMO. You may not be able to do much about the former, but can about the latter.