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| Defence secretary: I will resist further cuts | Defence secretary: I will resist further cuts |
| (4 months later) | |
| The defence secretary, Philip Hammond, has warned that he will resist further cuts to the armed forces in George Osborne's forthcoming spending review. | The defence secretary, Philip Hammond, has warned that he will resist further cuts to the armed forces in George Osborne's forthcoming spending review. |
| He told the Daily Telegraph that other Tory cabinet ministers believed the greatest burden of any cuts should fall on the welfare budget. | He told the Daily Telegraph that other Tory cabinet ministers believed the greatest burden of any cuts should fall on the welfare budget. |
| There was, he said, a "body of opinion within cabinet who believes that we have to look at the welfare budget again" and "we should be seeing welfare spending falling" as a result of rising employment levels. He said a 0.5% saving from the benefit bill would be enough to protect the armed forces. | There was, he said, a "body of opinion within cabinet who believes that we have to look at the welfare budget again" and "we should be seeing welfare spending falling" as a result of rising employment levels. He said a 0.5% saving from the benefit bill would be enough to protect the armed forces. |
| Hammond said the "first priority" for the government should be "defending the country and maintaining law and order" and that further defence cuts were not possible while meeting stated security objectives. | Hammond said the "first priority" for the government should be "defending the country and maintaining law and order" and that further defence cuts were not possible while meeting stated security objectives. |
| "I shall go into the spending review fighting the case for the defence budget on the basis that we have made very large cuts to defence, we've done that with the collaboration and co-operation of the military," he said. | "I shall go into the spending review fighting the case for the defence budget on the basis that we have made very large cuts to defence, we've done that with the collaboration and co-operation of the military," he said. |
| "Any further reduction in the defence budget would fall on the level of activity that we were able to carry out – the idea that expensively bought equipment may not be able to be used, expensively employed troops may not be able to be exercised and trained as regularly as they need to be. | "Any further reduction in the defence budget would fall on the level of activity that we were able to carry out – the idea that expensively bought equipment may not be able to be used, expensively employed troops may not be able to be exercised and trained as regularly as they need to be. |
| " I am not going into the spending review offering any further reductions in personnel." | " I am not going into the spending review offering any further reductions in personnel." |
| On a visit to Libya at the end of January, David Cameron rowed back on suggestions that he would allow defence spending to rise in real terms from 2015-16. Downing Street had initially briefed that Cameron stood by comments he made in 2010 that there should be "year-on-year real terms growth in the defence budget in the years beyond 2015". Later, his officials said the reference to 2015 meant the rises could not start until the year after 2015-16. | On a visit to Libya at the end of January, David Cameron rowed back on suggestions that he would allow defence spending to rise in real terms from 2015-16. Downing Street had initially briefed that Cameron stood by comments he made in 2010 that there should be "year-on-year real terms growth in the defence budget in the years beyond 2015". Later, his officials said the reference to 2015 meant the rises could not start until the year after 2015-16. |
| George Osborne is trying to secure a coalition agreement on departmental spending cuts for 2015-16, even though it follows the election because Whitehall needs to plan for spending rises well in advance. | George Osborne is trying to secure a coalition agreement on departmental spending cuts for 2015-16, even though it follows the election because Whitehall needs to plan for spending rises well in advance. |
| A commitment to allow defence spending to rise in 2015-16 would mean the armed forces could enjoy protection from the cuts, along with schools, hospitals and the aid budget, but this puts pressure on the remaining spending departments. | A commitment to allow defence spending to rise in 2015-16 would mean the armed forces could enjoy protection from the cuts, along with schools, hospitals and the aid budget, but this puts pressure on the remaining spending departments. |
| Hammond's interview was the first public expression of the frustration he has been privately expressing in cabinet about the pressures on the Ministry of Defence budget. | Hammond's interview was the first public expression of the frustration he has been privately expressing in cabinet about the pressures on the Ministry of Defence budget. |
| In private, the defence secretary is said to have told government colleagues that the military cannot absorb further big cuts without them having a significant impact on the effectiveness of the armed forces - and a further crippling affect on morale. | In private, the defence secretary is said to have told government colleagues that the military cannot absorb further big cuts without them having a significant impact on the effectiveness of the armed forces - and a further crippling affect on morale. |
| Like his predecessor Liam Fox, he has also raised questions over the increase in money for the department for international development (Dfid) - a source of huge resentment within the MoD's Main Building in Whitehall. | Like his predecessor Liam Fox, he has also raised questions over the increase in money for the department for international development (Dfid) - a source of huge resentment within the MoD's Main Building in Whitehall. |
| The heads of the three armed services have also warned that they cannot meet the demands required of them if the budget keeps shrinking. | The heads of the three armed services have also warned that they cannot meet the demands required of them if the budget keeps shrinking. |
| For instance, the head of the army, General Sir Peter Wall, agreed to a restructuring programme last year, and thousands of further job losses - but on the understanding the service would not have to absorb more cuts. | For instance, the head of the army, General Sir Peter Wall, agreed to a restructuring programme last year, and thousands of further job losses - but on the understanding the service would not have to absorb more cuts. |
| Yet in last year's autumn statement, the MoD wasn't spared further reductions, and now has to find a further £735m worth of savings over the next two years. | Yet in last year's autumn statement, the MoD wasn't spared further reductions, and now has to find a further £735m worth of savings over the next two years. |
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