It’s easy to find half the money needed to plug the current government cash shortage. Cut that whopping increase in arms spending

November 2020   –   what happened

On 19th of November 2020 the government announced the largest military spending budget for 30 years, giving the UK the biggest defence/arms spending budget in Europe.

This amounted to a £16.5 billion increase above the Conservative manifesto commitment over four years.

On existing forecasts, this is an overall cash increase of £24.1 billion over four years compared to the previous year’s budget (2019).

Liz Truss’s proposed escalation

This is quite separate from the proposed further huge increase in arms spending proposed by Liz Truss. Her proposal was unbelievable and would have caused outrage if it had been pursued.

Her commitment was to spend 3% of GDP on defence by 2030. To do this Liz Truss’s government would have needed to increase defence spending by about 60% in real terms. This is equivalent to about £157 billion in additional spending.

Cut what?

But the 2020 commitment remains in place and is an obvious place to save money.

Just a starter

We have two new super aircraft carriers run at enormous cost. Great for use in the Second World War, but how can they be deployed to defend Britain!? These should be mothballed or sold.

This would enable us to stop the manufacture all the aircraft needed to equip these currently emasculated weapons/super-ships.

I’m sure the government does not need to exceed its manifesto commitment on defence spending.