Defence minister warns against military cuts
Defence Secretary Liam Fox warns the prime minister of “grave consequences” if “draconian” spending cuts are made to the Armed Forces while Britain is at war. Carl Dinnen investigates.
In a private letter leaked to a national newspaper Liam Fox said the risk of “seriously” damaging morale across the Armed Forces “should not be underestimated”.
The Daily Telegraph reported that Dr Fox’s letter to David Cameron warned the government could provoke a “brutal” reaction from the Conservatives, media, military and international partners if it failed to “recognise the dangers and continue to push for such draconian cuts at a time when we are at war”.
In his letter, written before a National Security Council (NSC) meeting yesterday on the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), the Defence Secretary refused to back any substantial reduction in the Armed Forces.
Speaking today Liam Fox played down suggestions that his letter pointed to divisions in tackling Britain’s record budget deficit.
“The whole point is we work as a team,” he said.
“We inherited a shambles from Labour, we’ll work together to sort it out. We won’t be able to do it over night, I imagine it will take us several years to get us out of the position that we’re in, but we’re going to work hard and work hard together, fully committed to our forces in Afghanistan and getting the best outcome that we can.”
Dr Fox said he was “appalled” by the leaking of the letter, adding that he would “stop at nothing to ensure that the culprit is found”.
Speaking last night the defence secretary said it was “entirely normal” that ministers should make recommendations to the prime minister during the review process.
According to reports, up to 30 Met police officers have searched the MOD in relation to the leak.
Yesterday Liam Fox said his correspondence with the prime minister should have been kept private.
“The prime minister is fully entitled to expect that those representations to be made in private and kept private,” he said.
And he insisted the coalition would “collectively” reach decisions that were “in the national interest”.
Spending implications
Setting out some specific spending implications, Dr Fox said losing amphibious landing ships would leave the country unable to mount missions such as that in Sierra Leone 10 years ago.
The Navy could be forced to withdraw from areas such as the Indian Ocean, Caribbean or Gulf, while a cancelled Nimrod MR4 reconnaissance plane programme created “some risk” to civil contingent capability around Mumbai-style terror attacks and the 2012 Summer Olympics, he warned.
“Our decisions today will limit severely the options available to this and all future governments,” Dr Fox said in his letter written exclusively to David Cameron.
“If it continues on its current trajectory it is likely to have grave political consequences for us, destroying much of the reputation and capital you, and we, have built up in recent years,” he said.
“Party, media, military and the international reaction will be brutal if we do not recognise the dangers and continue to push for such draconian cuts at a time when we are at war.”
He concluded: “Even at this stage we should be looking at the strategic and security implications of our decisions.
“It would be a great pity if, having championed the cause of our Armed Forces and set up the innovation of the NSC, we simply produced a cuts package. Cuts there will have to be. Coherence, we cannot do without, if there is to be any chance of a credible narrative.”
Former head of the army, General Sir Richard Dannatt, called for a “proper analysis” of threats to the UK’s national security rather than “simply a cuts exercise”.
“If the UK wants to go on playing a significant role in the world, it has got to have some sort of power projection,” he told the BBC.
General Dannatt, leader of the army between 2006 and 2009, said it was “most unfortunate” that the “very private letter” had entered the public domain.
“When this Government came into power it inherited a 10 per cent deficit left over from the previous government of over-ambition in the MOD’s plans.
“So even if the MoD is being asked to make a 5 per cent or 10 per cent cut, it has already got to find 10 per cent to get back to zero, so effectively defence is being asked to take a 15 per cent or 20 per cent cut which is very, very difficult.”
Sir Richard said a consensus is emerging that the number of fast jets will be “slashed hugely” and there is a question mark over the aircraft carrier programme.