CND today described the significant loss of army capability, detailed in Philip Hammond’s speech to RUSI, as the price of the Government’s blind fanaticism for replacing Trident.
The loss of 20,000 army personnel, detailed in the October 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, means that major functions of the army would be ‘outsourced’ with increasing reliance on reserves and private contractors, as well as support provided by allied forces.
Kate Hudson, CND General Secretary said:
‘It is a mark of the government’s blind fanaticism for maintaining a Cold War nuclear weapons system that they are willing to cut so deeply into what many will see as standard army functions.’
Commenting further, she said,
‘Despite being announced in 2010 in the SDSR, these cuts and growing reliance upon allies and private contractors are enough to shock staunch supporters of the military amongst Conservative MPs and demonstrate the lack of scrutiny the Ministry of Defence is under.’
‘It proves what CND said at the time, that the £100 billion Trident replacement – as the MoD’s most expensive project – should have been included in a full defence review. That review must take place before the Trident Main Gate decision, when we are confident there will be no case for building the new submarines.’
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