PM is expected to announce around £15bn extra for defence (to 2030) in DIP, a compromise option between the Treasury push for a maximum of £12bn and MoD push for a floor of £18bn
Plan is not yet finalised, but £15bn would fall far short of current £28bn MoD funding gap to 2030
EXC: Treasury is preparing to seize control from the MoD of spending on the GCAP multibillion-pound fighter jet programme, as part of DIP settlement
Turf grab is part of the final DIP wrangling, with PM set to unveil c. £15bn extra for military up til 2030, including c. £6bn for GCAP, in an announcement as soon as next week (with Thurs 11 June mooted as target date)
PM and Chx have a “fundamental disagreement” over GCAP, which Reeves fears could be “just the next HS2” - ie beset by spiralling costs, delivery delays and shrinking scope - acc to govt figure. (Person close to Reeves denies characterisation of disagreement with PM)
The Treasury bid to take control of GCAP spending is designed to help avoid repeat of past MoD debacles on equipment programmes
Officials are set to justify the move by pointing to complicated intl structure of GCAP, which UK is developing with Japan and Italy, and complexity of programme... but some govt insiders fear those same structures will make spending difficult to rein in
Comes ahead of Japanese PM’s planned visit to UK next week
w/ @sylviapfeifer & @Urbandirt
https://t.co/5yRWSJiTBX
A serving US Army officer, working in Hegseth’s office, posting racial slurs & describing journalists as “civilisation destroyers”. Doing all of it anonymously. A good indication of the ethos of the Pentagon in this moment.
Exclusive with @Steven_Swinford Starmer is considering watering down plans to boost defence spending by £18 billion over concerns that they are unaffordable amid warnings from US official against such a move
https://t.co/aEj2pPPcFr
The Marine Corps' @BoeingDefense/@BAESystemsAir AV-8 #Harrier fleet has been finally retired, leaving the Italian and Spanish navies as the last bastions for this magnificent aircraft and brilliant British invention.
Helpful summary. I’d take the £28bn black hole with a pinch of salt tho - every public sector organisation has a funding gap between its theoretical annual ambition and the ££ it stands to get: this is because the former is limitless and the latter is rather not.
Army Technology has analysed the possible outcomes of the @DefenceHQ Defence Investment Plan based on full, partial, and reduced funding scenarios. How do you think it's going to turn out?
https://t.co/cYL17agnIH
Shashank is perhaps the most astute guy working in natsec journalism right now, and Dort pulling his ignorance routine is not a great look for the Army officer corps.
I don’t think this stuff matters as a 2LT but I would not want to serve with buffoons like Dort at the field grade and higher level.