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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Browne hits back over troops row | Browne hits back over troops row |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Defence Secretary Des Browne has hit back at criticism by former defence chiefs, saying morale among serving soldiers is "as high as it could be". | Defence Secretary Des Browne has hit back at criticism by former defence chiefs, saying morale among serving soldiers is "as high as it could be". |
| Admiral Lord Boyce said Gordon Brown treated UK forces with "contempt" - and his decision to make Mr Browne Scottish Secretary as well was an "insult". | Admiral Lord Boyce said Gordon Brown treated UK forces with "contempt" - and his decision to make Mr Browne Scottish Secretary as well was an "insult". |
| Mr Browne said he had not heard those criticisms from serving soldiers and he was happy to be judged on his record. | Mr Browne said he had not heard those criticisms from serving soldiers and he was happy to be judged on his record. |
| On Thursday five ex-chiefs of staff criticised MoD funding levels. | On Thursday five ex-chiefs of staff criticised MoD funding levels. |
| Mr Browne told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that being Scottish secretary did not detract from his role as defence secretary, as most powers were now devolved to Holyrood. | Mr Browne told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that being Scottish secretary did not detract from his role as defence secretary, as most powers were now devolved to Holyrood. |
| 'Current views' | 'Current views' |
| "I will put my record in relation to both commitment and delivery up against anyone's," said Mr Browne. | "I will put my record in relation to both commitment and delivery up against anyone's," said Mr Browne. |
| "Tell me what it is that a secretary of state for defence should be doing, that I am not doing... This is not an issue that has ever been raised with me by any serving soldier when I have been in an operational theatre." | "Tell me what it is that a secretary of state for defence should be doing, that I am not doing... This is not an issue that has ever been raised with me by any serving soldier when I have been in an operational theatre." |
| The recent settlement will see an increase of £7.7bn over the next three years Des BrowneDefence secretary Brown's 'contempt for forces' Analysis: MoD spending battle | |
| He said serving chiefs of staff had "other views" and added: "I'm not that long back from Iraq ... I found the morale of our troops in the operating base in Basra is as high as it could be." | He said serving chiefs of staff had "other views" and added: "I'm not that long back from Iraq ... I found the morale of our troops in the operating base in Basra is as high as it could be." |
| On Thursday five former chiefs of the defence staff warned of "blood on the floor" at the MoD because of inadequate funding, during a debate in the House of Lords. | On Thursday five former chiefs of the defence staff warned of "blood on the floor" at the MoD because of inadequate funding, during a debate in the House of Lords. |
| But Mr Browne said: ''We have in the United Kingdom the second highest defence budget in the world, in real terms. We are exceeded only by the United States of America." | But Mr Browne said: ''We have in the United Kingdom the second highest defence budget in the world, in real terms. We are exceeded only by the United States of America." |
| "It is correct and accepted, that the recent settlement will see an increase of £7.7bn over the next three years.'' | "It is correct and accepted, that the recent settlement will see an increase of £7.7bn over the next three years.'' |
| See UK military spending by GDP | |
| Admiral Lord Boyce, who retired as chief of defence staff in 2003, said the message he was getting from troops was that the decision to give Mr Browne two jobs was seen as an "insult". | Admiral Lord Boyce, who retired as chief of defence staff in 2003, said the message he was getting from troops was that the decision to give Mr Browne two jobs was seen as an "insult". |
| On Friday, he questioned the government's statement that it was overseeing the longest period of defence spending since the 1980s. | On Friday, he questioned the government's statement that it was overseeing the longest period of defence spending since the 1980s. |
| He said that started with the "under funded" strategic defence review of 1998, and while there had been year-on-year increases, the cost of defence equipment had risen much faster. | He said that started with the "under funded" strategic defence review of 1998, and while there had been year-on-year increases, the cost of defence equipment had risen much faster. |
| "And also of course, what has also changed is the level of activity that was predicated in 1998 to be at a certain level and we are now vastly exceeding that by running two wars," he said. | "And also of course, what has also changed is the level of activity that was predicated in 1998 to be at a certain level and we are now vastly exceeding that by running two wars," he said. |
| The government's commitment was "best exemplified by the fact that the prime minister can't be bothered to appoint a minister in charge of the armed forces on a full time basis," he said. | The government's commitment was "best exemplified by the fact that the prime minister can't be bothered to appoint a minister in charge of the armed forces on a full time basis," he said. |
| 'In denial' | |
| Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox accused the MoD of spending £2bn refitting its Whitehall offices, while there was a lack of battle helicopters in Afghanistan. | |
| He said spending assumptions made before the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan needed to be updated adding: "The government needs to accept that there are shortcomings at the present time which it still seems to be in denial about." | |
| It's personalised against Gordon Brown because for ten years, he signed the cheques Vincent CableLib Dems | |
| On Thursday Labour former defence minister Lord Gilbert told the BBC the prime minister's "injudicious actions" had brought criticism on himself and said his failure to thank troops in the Queen's Speech "quite extraordinary". | |
| And the Liberal Democrats' acting leader Vincent Cable said: "It's personalised against Gordon Brown because for ten years, he signed the cheques. He signed the cheque for £5bn for the war in Iraq at a time when the armed forces were already overstretched. | |
| "That is why the troops are under-equipped, they are not properly housed, they are not cared for when they are injured - and they are very angry." | |
| 'Overstretch' claims | |
| A source close to Mr Brown criticised the former defence chiefs for speaking out when they knew the prime minister was at the Commonwealth summit in Uganda. | A source close to Mr Brown criticised the former defence chiefs for speaking out when they knew the prime minister was at the Commonwealth summit in Uganda. |
| The source suggested that as former senior public servants they should "know better". | The source suggested that as former senior public servants they should "know better". |
| It follows months of concern from organisations like the Royal British Legion that the armed forces are over-stretched and under-funded. | |
| They point out that during the early 1980s the government spent almost 5% of GDP on defence but today the figure is closer to 2.5%. | They point out that during the early 1980s the government spent almost 5% of GDP on defence but today the figure is closer to 2.5%. |
| Later the government will announce a priority health care package for injured soldiers, to get them fast-track NHS treatment, and set up special centres for those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. | |
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