Britain’s new coalition government has asked current military chief, Marshall Sir Jock Stirrup to retire early, with officials expressing concern that he was “too close” with the previous Labour government.
Sir Jock’s ouster is not just a political move, however, as Foreign Secretary William Hague has publicly criticized the former defense ministry’s priority in procurement and spending, particularly given the current budget crisis.
New Defense Secretary Liam Fox has suggested that the government is going to seek significant savings, and while cutting equipment programs was expected to be the main strategy, he said it was possible that significant cuts to Britain’s uniformed troops would also have to be made.
Currently there are 190,000 uniformed troops in Britain’s military, and the army is said to be Britain’s smallest since Waterloo. Further cuts will almost certainly come up at some point as the government struggles with its expenses, but they could also spark a backbench revolt among Tories in the new government, many of whom still fancy Britain as a global military power and see a large military as a matter of national prestige.
Jock Stirrup–right out of Strangleove.
RAF right?
The uniform looks like its from HMS Pinafore
That's even better than Ed Balls.
national prestige….???? the tony blare national prestige….???? Yaa, go for it…!!!!
In any western army these days, there are way too many generals and admirals. The US or UK or any of these other countries could cut about a third of their generals or admirals and it would only improve the efficiency of the military.
Wow, cutting the military in the midst of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.
Who'd have thunk of that? Silly Brits.
I say, we will have to ask you for an explanation of your reasoning, my dear fellow.
I say, we will have you to ask for an explanation of your reasoning, my dear fellow.
Good that the GWOT gave him that 10 year pension bump up before he left. YES! minister is what he is thinking to himself.
Britain could save a fortune by scrapping its nuclear arsenal.
The US could save a fortune, and many lives, by combing the jungles of Borneo and finding another Japanese Imperial Army holdout and surrendering to him immediately.
The Japanese Emperor may not accept it but the US could bomb them back into the Stone Age until they do.