UK armed forces 'cannot act alone'
UK can no longer afford to 'act alone'
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By Matt Hallam. |  |
Wednesday, 03, Feb 2010 05:16
By Richard James.
The British armed forces need to become more adaptable to changing threats while improving international ties, defence secretary Bob Ainsworth has declared.
The defence secretary unveiled the government's widely trailed green paper in the House of Commons this afternoon and said the country's armed forces could no longer "act alone" and would need to build stronger alliances with the European Union.
Mr Ainsworth said the green paper represented the emerging thinking on the issues facing defence in the lead-up to first strategic review since 1998 due to take place after the coming general election.
While defending the government's previous spending on defence, he admitted the UK would have to reassess its defence priorities in the future "resource-constrained" environment.
The defence secretary said Britain could not afford to "defend from the goal line" and should instead be prepared to work in a series of coalitions, including greater ties with the EU.
Mr Ainsworth said strengthening ties with the continent was essential to make the most of combined resources in the face of constrained defence funding.
All three main parties have said they will cut the defence budget as a result of the country's woeful public finances.
Conceding there would be pressure on the defence budget in the near future, Mr Ainsworth said Britain's armed forces needed to be more adaptable, more agile and engage in more responsible strategic planning.
He also said the government would legislate for more regular reviews to ensure the armed forces were adapting to the changing defensive landscape.
Earlier on Wednesday Gordon Brown clashed with opposition leaders over planned cuts and previous defence spending.
Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats, criticised the prime minister and his government for its continued back of the Trident nuclear deterrent programme.
Conservative leader David Cameron also repeated accusations made at the inquiry into the Iraq war that Mr Brown had "guillotined" defence spending shortly after the 2003 invasion when serving as chancellor.
Former Ministry of Defence permanent secretary Sir Kevin Tebbit told the Chilcot inquiry on Wednesday financial cuts, equivalent to around £1 billion, meant he was forced to work on an emergency budget, suggesting the Treasury had not wanted the armed forces to receive as much money as they did.
Mr Cameron went as far as to accuse the then-chancellor of ignoring the welfare of the armed forces.
The prime minister rejected the claims the troops were poorly equipped and repeated the fact defence spending had risen in real terms over the last decade.
On Tuesday Mr Brown said funds for the ongoing military offensive in Afghanistan will be ring-fenced and rejected suggestions the UK was facing a £6 billion "black hole" in its defence budget.