Or has the RAF played the long game, in that they have successfully converted Bs to As to get the Navy out of the loop and are now angling for more Typhoons instead of those on a domestic industry ticket?
I don't understand why this wasn't the first order of business. Nothing has changed strategically or in the national finances for several months, why has everyone waited until now to sort the funding out? If the service chiefs and defence ministers tried to hide how much money was needed then that is entirely on them, but it feels to me like the Treasury nodded along to the lectures on the dire situation and are using the desperation to get a document out to force lower funding at the last minute.
I think the problem is it is the "first order of business" and they still haven't managed to get beyond that, Treasury wanting the low end spending, MOD wanting the high end spending and Starmer seemingly bouncing around on any given day/week between low, medium, high, while apparently arguing that the Defence Review recommendations were meant to have built in no defence spend uptick. Hence why the delays, cause they still can't decide the budget for the DIP and so its still circling where it started.
Carns would be nice but he's very drone brained. Might be able to scare the Treasury into submission, though.
'You have been unable to commit the resources the nation needs'published at 13:02
13:02
We can now bring you more excerpts from John Healey's resignation letter - in which he accuses PM Keir Starmer of failing to commit the resources the military needs.
Don't know him? A Treasury-backed appointment?
Former solider of the parachute regiment, currently in the Home Office.
However Healey might be calculating that Burnham might want his backing and make that the pricetag. Given the state of UK politics who the hell knows really...
His team have supposedly denied a personal leadership challenge so that might be it. Streeting has come out in support of Healey too.
It's worth noting that governments doing things is not a 'burden', and defence is a public service. It's also not inconsistent to take the view that the primary job of the Treasury is to make money available for the things the government wants to do.
Really leaves a question mark for what does Babcock do next, clocks ticking on how much the yard has left if they can’t get an export order.
Oh bugger. Must be a bum steer from a fellow I know.
I thought Healey's was very neutral in that regard, though earlier in the week there were rumours that he was more conservative drone wise.
No, Healey was apparently very pro-drone, much to the anger of the defence chief. I think I remember the posts you're talking about, they issued a correction in the comments below.
Yes, minister!
Yes and no.
I would expect that Starmer has chosen someone who will get a version of DIP accepted ASAP. Given that the previous SoS left, and the Chancellor is staying, that probably suggests quite strongly who's won the Cabinet battle.
