Tories would cut MoD civilian posts
Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox promises strategic defence review in event of Tory election victory
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By Adam Leveridge. |  |
Thursday, 08, Oct 2009 01:04
By Matthew West.
Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox has promised to carry out a strategic defence review immediately after the Conservatives attain office should they win the general election.
Accusing the Labour government of neglecting the welfare of service families, mismanaging the mission in Afghanistan and failing to understand the security needs of Britain the 21st century, Dr Fox said the Conservatives would have to "mend the military covenant that has been broken by this current government".
But he also suggested the Conservatives would cut the Ministry of Defence budget with the most likely source of savings being made through seeking reductions in staff numbers in Whitehall.
Dr Fox said: "Now we have 99,000 in the army and 85,000 civilians in the MoD. Some things will have to change and believe me they will."
He added the Conservatives, if they won the next general election, would carry out an immediate review of Britain's strategic interests at home and abroad, determine the threats that existed to those interests, examine the military capacity of the armed forces and the requirement for the future and carry out regular strategic reviews every four or five years. All of which he accused Labour of failing to do.
The shadow defence secretary also accused Labour of failing to explain why Britain had troops in Afghanistan adding: "Labour's inability to define the strategy in Afghanistan is an appalling failure which risks confusing the public and diminishing support for the mission."
Dr Fox said the Conservatives would commit to staying in Afghanistan saying the goal of a stable Afghanistan was achievable and that the war was winnable.