britain balances defence budget \black hole\
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

Britain balances defence budget 'black hole'

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today Britain balances defence budget 'black hole'

London - AFP

Britain's defence secretary said he had finally balanced his department's books, in an interview out Sunday, following a week in which he made a U-turn on purchasing jets, to the annoyance of France. Philip Hammond told The Sunday Times newspaper that he will be able to announce this week that he has fixed the £38 billion ($61 billion, 47 billion euro) so-called "black hole" in the Ministry of Defence (MoD) budget. The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government said it inherited a raft of unfunded spending commitments when it took over from Labour in May 2010. "In the next few days we will be in a position to make the grand announcement that I've balanced the books," Hammond told the weekly broadsheet. "In terms of reducing the size of the civil service, the army and the air force, we shouldn't have to do any more over and above what we've already announced." Britain confirmed on Thursday that it has reversed its choice of fighter jets for future aircraft carriers, ditching the preferred conventional take-off version of the US-built F-35 for a jump-jet model. The latest turnaround dealt a blow to a defence deal between Britain and France as it means that planned Royal Navy aircraft carriers will no longer be equipped to handle French aircraft. The move risked being seen as yet another gaffe for the coalition, which has made a series of recent policy U-turns and faces growing pressure over its dogged adherence to austerity over growth. Hammond termed the decision the "last big piece in the jigsaw" and future projects would not now be delayed or scrapped due to a lack of funds. "For the first time in the defence budget we've got a reserve in each year, which means that if something comes up we'll be able to manage it," he said. Britain is currently without a carrier strike capability following a strategic review unveiled by the coalition in 2010 as part of wide-ranging austerity measures aimed at cutting a record deficit. "For a decade now the MoD has had a programme of spending that far exceeds the money available. It does it on a sort of institutionalised basis. Nobody here, until quite recently, has blinked," Hammond said.

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

britain balances defence budget \black hole\ britain balances defence budget \black hole\

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

britain balances defence budget \black hole\ britain balances defence budget \black hole\

 



GMT 12:48 2016 Sunday ,27 November

Cilic, Dodig push Croatia to brink of Davis Cup

GMT 05:24 2017 Thursday ,28 December

Erdogan says 'terrorist' Assad cannot be part of Syria

GMT 12:59 2016 Saturday ,05 November

WB welcomes economic reforms in Egypt

GMT 18:40 2016 Saturday ,05 November

Egyptian GDRs in London down

GMT 10:57 2017 Wednesday ,06 December

Peru striker Guerrero has doping ban extended

GMT 17:51 2017 Tuesday ,07 March

Trump Signs New Travel Ban on Six Muslim Countries

GMT 10:30 2017 Wednesday ,06 September

Saudi Information Ministry praises media role during Hajj

GMT 15:29 2017 Tuesday ,24 January

Mind games really do help your brain

GMT 06:55 2015 Thursday ,01 October

Boston Red Sox beat Yankees

GMT 08:17 2017 Monday ,28 August

Bahrain celebrates World Humanitarian Day 2017

GMT 02:07 2017 Tuesday ,28 February

Opposition seeks Russian support at Syria talks
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday