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| Version 10 | Version 11 |
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| Brown hits back on forces funding | Brown hits back on forces funding |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown has rejected criticism from five former military chiefs about the treatment of and funding for the armed forces. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown has rejected criticism from five former military chiefs about the treatment of and funding for the armed forces. |
| He said he had "nothing but praise" for the forces, and was putting more money into defence "than ever before". | He said he had "nothing but praise" for the forces, and was putting more money into defence "than ever before". |
| Former chief of staff Lord Boyce said making Des Browne defence and Scottish secretary had been an "insult". | Former chief of staff Lord Boyce said making Des Browne defence and Scottish secretary had been an "insult". |
| Tory leader David Cameron has written to Mr Brown asking him to divide the roles between two people. | Tory leader David Cameron has written to Mr Brown asking him to divide the roles between two people. |
| 'Great courage' | 'Great courage' |
| Asked about the criticism, the prime minister, who is in Kampala, Uganda, for a Commonwealth summit, said: "I have got nothing but praise for our armed forces. | Asked about the criticism, the prime minister, who is in Kampala, Uganda, for a Commonwealth summit, said: "I have got nothing but praise for our armed forces. |
| "I have visited them in Iraq and Afghanistan and what they are doing are acts of great courage. | "I have visited them in Iraq and Afghanistan and what they are doing are acts of great courage. |
| I will put my record in relation to both commitment and delivery up against anyone's Des BrowneDefence secretary Browne defends dual role Analysis: MoD spending battle | I will put my record in relation to both commitment and delivery up against anyone's Des BrowneDefence secretary Browne defends dual role Analysis: MoD spending battle |
| "I want to see the armed forces properly equipped with the resources that they need. And that's why we've been increasing expenditure on defence compared with the cuts under the previous government." | "I want to see the armed forces properly equipped with the resources that they need. And that's why we've been increasing expenditure on defence compared with the cuts under the previous government." |
| Earlier Des Browne BBC Radio 4's Today programme that being Scottish secretary as well did not detract from his role as defence secretary, as most powers were now devolved to Holyrood. | Earlier Des Browne BBC Radio 4's Today programme that being Scottish secretary as well did not detract from his role as defence secretary, as most powers were now devolved to Holyrood. |
| Morale 'high' | Morale 'high' |
| "I will put my record in relation to both commitment and delivery up against anyone's," said Mr Browne. | "I will put my record in relation to both commitment and delivery up against anyone's," said Mr Browne. |
| "This is not an issue that has ever been raised with me by any serving soldier." | "This is not an issue that has ever been raised with me by any serving soldier." |
| Total MoD spending for 2007-08 is set at £33.4bn, but the cash or near cash figure is £30bn; this has been used above to allow historical comparisons and does not include capital charge | Total MoD spending for 2007-08 is set at £33.4bn, but the cash or near cash figure is £30bn; this has been used above to allow historical comparisons and does not include capital charge |
| He said morale was high among troops in Basra the UK's defence budget was second only to the USA, and would see an increase of £7.7bn over the next three years. | He said morale was high among troops in Basra the UK's defence budget was second only to the USA, and would see an increase of £7.7bn over the next three years. |
| But on Thursday five former chiefs of the defence staff warned of "blood on the floor" at the MoD because of inadequate funding, during a debate in the House of Lords. | But on Thursday five former chiefs of the defence staff warned of "blood on the floor" at the MoD because of inadequate funding, during a debate in the House of Lords. |
| The government's commitment was "best exemplified by the fact that the prime minister can't be bothered to appoint a minister in charge of the armed forces on a full time basis," said Admiral Lord Boyce, who retired as chief of defence staff in 2003. | The government's commitment was "best exemplified by the fact that the prime minister can't be bothered to appoint a minister in charge of the armed forces on a full time basis," said Admiral Lord Boyce, who retired as chief of defence staff in 2003. |
| He questioned the government's claim that it was overseeing the longest period of defence spending since the 1980s, saying the cost of military equipment was rising faster than budget increases. | He questioned the government's claim that it was overseeing the longest period of defence spending since the 1980s, saying the cost of military equipment was rising faster than budget increases. |
| 'Rethink dual role' | 'Rethink dual role' |
| And Britain was "vastly exceeding" planning assumptions made in 1998, due to commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan, he said. | And Britain was "vastly exceeding" planning assumptions made in 1998, due to commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan, he said. |
| Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox said: "The government needs to accept that there are shortcomings at the present time which it still seems to be in denial about." | Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox said: "The government needs to accept that there are shortcomings at the present time which it still seems to be in denial about." |
| It's personalised against Gordon Brown because for ten years, he signed the cheques Vincent CableLib Dems Brown's 'contempt for forces' Qinetiq deal 'cost UK taxpayers' | It's personalised against Gordon Brown because for ten years, he signed the cheques Vincent CableLib Dems Brown's 'contempt for forces' Qinetiq deal 'cost UK taxpayers' |
| And Conservative leader David Cameron has written to the prime minister, asking him to re-think his decision to make Mr Browne defence and Scottish secretary. | And Conservative leader David Cameron has written to the prime minister, asking him to re-think his decision to make Mr Browne defence and Scottish secretary. |
| "At a time when our forces are engaged in two highly dangerous missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, the need for the defence secretary to be able to concentrate full-time on his role is surely a matter of plain common sense," he wrote. | "At a time when our forces are engaged in two highly dangerous missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, the need for the defence secretary to be able to concentrate full-time on his role is surely a matter of plain common sense," he wrote. |
| Long-term planning | |
| The Liberal Democrats' acting leader Vincent Cable said criticism had been "personalised" against Gordon Brown because, as chancellor: "He signed the cheque for £5bn for the war in Iraq at a time when the armed forces were already overstretched. | The Liberal Democrats' acting leader Vincent Cable said criticism had been "personalised" against Gordon Brown because, as chancellor: "He signed the cheque for £5bn for the war in Iraq at a time when the armed forces were already overstretched. |
| "That is why the troops are under-equipped, they are not properly housed, they are not cared for when they are injured - and they are very angry." | "That is why the troops are under-equipped, they are not properly housed, they are not cared for when they are injured - and they are very angry." |
| Organisations like the Royal British Legion say the armed forces are over-stretched and under-funded, and say that while 4.4% of GDP was spent on defence in the early 1980s, today it is about 2.3%. | |
| The BBC's defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said the real question, was whether the armed forces were being asked to do too much on the available resources. | |
| Long-term defence planning failed to predict that Britain would be fighting two medium-sized campaigns on two fronts simultaneously, and facing lengthy ongoing commitments as a result. | |
| The last full review, which tried to match the armed forces to the threats they expected to counter, was carried out in 1998. | |
| "The overstretch in the budget has led to calls from some for a new strategic defence review, which would outline exactly what military role and aims Britain wants to pursue - and how much it's prepared to pay for that," she said. | |