Defence Select Committee report damns the SDSR

The recent Defence Select Committee report on the Strategic Defence and Security Review and the National Security Council gives yet another damning verdict on the Strategic Defence and Security Review.

The report concludes that "the need for savings" is "overriding the strategic security of the UK".

In an unusally blunt criticism of the Prime Minister, the report baldly states: "“The Prime Minister’s view that the UK currently has a full spectrum defence capability is rejected by the committee.”

And contrary to the Government's claims: “Given the Government’s declared priority of deficit reduction we conclude that a period of strategic shrinkage is inevitable... The Government appears to believe that the UK can maintain its influence while reducing spending. We do not agree. If the UK’s influence in the world is to be maintained, the Government must demonstrate in a clear and convincing way that these reductions have been offset by identifiable improvements.”

In a stinging criticism of continuing defence cuts while fighting two wars, the Committee says: “We can only conclude that the Government has postponed the sensible aspiration of bringing commitments and resources into line, in that it has taken on the new commitment of Libya while reducing the resources available to the Ministry of Defence.”

The Committee warns that the Armed Forces are heading below 'critical mass' and that the UK will suffer major 'capability gaps'. The Armed Forces depend on increased spending from 2015, but there is no guarantee that this will happen. The Committtee boldly argues that despite the Government's protestations to the contrary, the SDSR has effectively already been reopened - but with further cuts being made!

The whole report is an absolutely damning verdict.

It is also bears out the recent Henry Jackson Society report The Tipping Point, which warns that the UK is at a moment where we will have to decide what our priorities are and whether we are serious about our global role.

The way things are going, we are heading for disaster. The Government's position becomes more and more indefensible. The verdict of history may be damning.