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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

September 19, 2009 by

Dear Julian

Following today’s press reports regarding comments made yesterday by the
Shadow Chancellor, George Osborne, I thought it would be helpful to clarify a number of points.

His comments were not part of his prepared speech but made in a Q&A session at a Spectator conference , when George was asked if the
Conservatives felt able to undertake an SDR whilst in Opposition.

Naturally, he highlighted the severely limited access which the
Opposition has to MoD documents and accounts without which an SDR cannot be undertaken. When pressed on the material to which access would be required George mentioned a number of factors, including commercial procurement contracts, and listed a number of programmes as examples.
As David Cameron made clear at his press conference this morning, this statement was misconstrued by the press to suggest that the
Conservatives have identified specific programmes to be axed. That is not the case. Indeed, it would be irresponsible for us to pre-empt the results of a Strategic Defence Review by making decisions on specific programmes, and we will not do so.

David made it clear that a foreign policy led defence review is long overdue to work out what role Britain should play in the world and, in light of that, what the shape of our Armed Forces should be. Only once we have held that review will we be able to consider the specific capabilities (and therefore equipment programmes) required to enable our Armed Forces to carry out the task we believe necessary to protect our national interests.

Of course, as a result of Labour’s disastrous mismanagement of the economy, we will have to look very closely at all aspects of government spending, and defence is not exempt from that. In the new age of austerity, all defence programmes will need to demonstrate their value for money alongside their capability.

Best wishes, Gerald
Gerald Howarth MP
Member of Parliament for Aldershot & Shadow Defence Minister
House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA
Tel: 020 7219 5650 Fax: 020 7219 1198

Statement from Andy Smith, UK National Defence Association

“From recent statements it appears that both the Labour Government and the Conservative Opposition seem to believe that even after years of chronic under-investment in defence, our over-stretched and under-funded Armed Forces can be cut even further. Such disregard for defence and national security is unbelievably short-sighted. Our politicians have apparently forgotten that defence is the nation’s insurance policy and therefore the Government’s No.1 priority. Without sufficient investment in defence of the realm, spending billions on health or welfare is meaningless.

“For the security of our people, our trade, our energy supplies, our borders and our worldwide economic interests, it is essential that the next government, whether it is Labour or Conservative, resists the temptation to use its review of Britain’s defence as another excuse for cutting our Armed Forces. In this increasingly dangerous world, further defence cuts would be potentially catastrophic. Is Britain’s next Prime Minister willing to take that risk?”

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