Radical reform needed at the MoD

In a major speech this morning, Shadow Defence Secretary Liam Fox set out how a Conservative Government will reform the Ministry of Defence.

He also spoke about the importance of our mission in Afghanistan. "Failure in Afghanistan would have profound geopolitical implications", he said.

"The damage to the cohesion, confidence and credibility of NATO would be immense and it would provide a shot in the arm for jihadists worldwide".

Fox outlined three key priorities for the next Conservative Government:

"First, launch a wide ranging and detailed strategic defence review.

Secondly, we will simultaneously conduct a capabilities review. There are questions for all three services as to whether they have an over abundance of senior posts. How do we stop the trend where the military seems consistently to shrink while the civil service keeps growing?

And finally, we will perform a root and branch reform of the procurement process. Reforming the procurement process will be no easy task. In fact, it will probably prove to be the greatest challenge in terms of increasing the efficiency of the MoD. All options for reform, no matter how radical, are on the table. "

He added that the MoD needed "new vision, fresh thinking, and new leadership" that only a new Government can provide. "Increasingly the public are wakening up to the sorry state of defence under Labour. It is likely to be an election issue for the first time since the end of the Cold War."

TRIDENT’S FINANCIAL FOLLY COMES INTO FOCUS

FORMER NATO GENERAL SECRETARY'S CALL TO AXE TRIDENT

Newspaper reports today (Monday) have brought the financial folly of replacing the current Trident system into focus with even the former secretary-general of NATO – Lord George Robertson – co-authoring a report calling for the re-placement system to be scrapped.

The report in the Financial Times details how Lord Robertson has co-authored a report along with former LibDem leader Lord Paddy Ashdown and Lord Guthrie – former chief of the defence staff.

In addition the Daily Mail also reports that plans are being drawn up by the government in Westminster to scrap the Trident replacement, and Scotland’s Cardinal Keith O’Brien has penned an article for the Times highlighting the immorality of nuclear weapons.

Commenting on these rush of developments, SNP Westminster leader and party defence spokesperson, Angus Robertson MP, said:

“With the debate about Westminster government cuts raging, these reports are very timely and lay bear the incoherence of spending plans that include Trident.

“It is even more embarrassing for the Labour government considering that Lord George Robertson is reported as one of the authors.

“The position of Labour and the Tories in arguing for Trident is untenable in these difficult financial times.

"Trident is frankly obscene, and in the current economic climate it must be obvious that these resources should be better spent.”

Bill Kidd MSP, an active campaigner against Trident, also said:

"To dump a 'son of Trident' on Scotland would be an act of immense irresponsibility - particularly when Westminster parties are planning cuts in Scottish public spending.

“And it is not just former defence chiefs like Lord Guthrie who think the UK Government is wrong to waste tens of billions replacing Trident. It is a view shared by governments around the world, the people of Scotland and the Scottish Parliament.

"Civil society, trade unions, religious organisations and the Scottish Government are working together to keep a new generation of Trident missiles out of Scotland, and today’s reports reinforce that argument."