Colonel. Author. Raconteur. Philosopher. Idiot savant. Petrolhead. Satirical Pessimist. Young Fogey. All opinions my own (unless I retweeted them, obviously)
Worth reading Dominic Lawson's piece in the Sunday Times...
He's circling something I've been saying for months.… the MoD's problem is not just that it has too little money. It's that it cannot reliably turn the money it has into capability on the front line.
Ajax. Nimrod. Carrier strike. The pattern is always the same. Bespoke kit, built late, over budget, often for a conflict that has already changed by the time it arrives.
Meanwhile in Ukraine, a £400 drone destroys a £4 million tank.
If we are genuinely serious about defending this country and building our national resilience, the first job is not the spending figure. It’s fixing the procurement system that decides what the money buys.
https://t.co/B5gtJIQq8E
We owe those who serve the UK the kit to do the job and the loyalty to stand by them when it's done. We are failing on both.
I’ve spent my whole time in government making that case. Number 10 will not listen, so I am resigning as Minister for the Armed Forces.
Letter to the PM below.🫡🫡🫡⬇️⬇️
Watching the 100th birthday concert of the absolute legend that is Sir David Attenborough.
One of the greatest humans ever to grace the Earth.
Happy birthday good sir.
#DavidAttenborough
@tapia_seb@FlecktarnFella@SukberiaFR So Spain’s ownership that you claim to have inherited is not recognised. We never rescinded our *RIGHTFUL* claim at any point.
@tapia_seb@SukberiaFR Why do you think you have the right to them?
Your only basis for them is proximity. On the other hand we were the first human settlers on the islands and settled on them before Argentina even existed.
You want the NATO allies to join you in a war you started without ever consulting these allies about the war or explaining your war aims. We’re meant just to meekly fall in line.
You recently supported a US invasion of a NATO ally (Denmark/Greenland) but now you want these same allies to join your war.
Your president disparaged and misrepresented the role of NATO allies in Afghanistan. But now you want them to join with you again in a war of your making.
You went to war with Iran without a thought of how to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and without involving your allies in the matter. But now you want the NATO allies to bail you out, even though there’s still no plan for Hormuz.
You want the NATO allies to join you in a war in which you still cannot articulate the endgame. Or what victory would look like.
You went to war thinking the Iranian regime would quickly topple, that Tehran would not attack the Gulf States or close Hormuz. Why would we align with such Epic Stupidity?
You and other know-nothing blowhards started this war all on your own. You can finish it on your own. If you’re able to …
@ArmchairAdml Considering that we are subordinate to the US on the F35 programme (therefore not controlling the IP and also having our strings pulled by the US) it makes so much more sense to invest in the GCAP programme - which is something that will go a long way toward air superiority.
@richardpbacon Yet, I remember during the pandemic many of the adverts telling us to stay at home etc, as well as adverts for flu jabs etc always said “UK Government” rather than “HM Government” - but the coat of arms was still there, and the typeface was the same. It made no difference.
@JackLangley93@floboflo@LeeAndersonMP_ Was a Labour councillor after years affiliated with the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM). Do your research chum.
@PeterStefanovi2 Well Donald…
If Norway “control the Nobel Peace Prize” then why do you think picking on Denmark is great vengeance? Are you getting your Nordic countries mixed up?