Commitment to more defence spending

21st October 2010

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It was interesting to see some more token politics yesterday with the suggestion that the Conservatives are going to promote the donation of free tickets to various sporting and entertainments events.

This is something we've done at The BFF, and for a long time I have been calling for a one-stop website that distributes all discounts and free welfare provisions, by both the MoD and charities, to serving personnel, their families and veterans.

However, as is so often the case with these type of things, I cannot help but be cynical that this is an offer of unsold tickets, in bad positions during a recession. Will Chelsea be offering free tickets to the home game against Arsenal or will it be the match against Hull? It is still a nice gesture to donate tickets you can't sell to the Armed Forces for free, but it falls some way short of being as quite as genuine as it first may seem.

What frustrates me most is how the Leader of the Opposition, who wishes to be Prime Minister, struts around like a Miss World contestant saying how he wants world peace and how he supports charities. What everyone in Defence wants, and needs, is a real commitment in terms of how much more money he is going to spend on defence than the government of the day.

It seems to me, he has absolutely no intention of spending more money when in office. He is spinning the facts when in reality he proposes little difference - unless he can achieve the hitherto unachievable and get better value for money from the Defence budget. Everyone knows there are substantial savings to be made in the MoD, especially within the procurement process.

I'm a bit off theme speaking about this as Director of The BFF but they are personal comments as I grow increasingly frustrated at how the servicemen and women of our Armed Forces are treated as a political football in a struggle for power, when behind the comments I don't see any real commitment to change.

I'm also a bit cynical of David Cameron when he says in government he will make a route and branch review of national defence and foreign policy but, at the same time states, come what may, we will keep Trident which, to me, predetermines the outcome of the review. But that's an issue for another day.

Mark Cann Director of The British Forces Foundation (These are the personal views of Mark Cann and not necessarily those of the Charity)