Strategic Defence and Security Review SDSR15

I will start with an unapologetic fact Whilst not a war monger I do believe in the UK maintaining what is (was) a great military and I am a large supporter of a bigger and better UK Armed Forces, I don't want this thread to descend into why am I and invest in peace etc. I suppose I would rather have an open debate on how we can increase armed spending, not if/why we should do it.

I have a couple of points to start off.

1. I think we need an MPA, we are an island that can only be attacked from sea and air. do you think we can afford it in these tight times or do you think the russians have done enough to convince UK government to buy?

2. We have overseas territories so the 2 carriers I think need more F35

3. No more cuts to our standing army of professional solders, the numbers are too low imo.

4. We need to start tank replacement - I would see if we can buy American, their retrofit and upgrade lines means we pretty much outsource maintenance on a ship ride across the Atlantic, 20 at a time maybe!! Or Leopard 2 - we could build our own but defence spending I would prefer we concentrate on aircraft and ships. A tank is something we could build decades after a line closed!

5. Ramp up FOAS for the Tornado replacement or buy a final Tranch 4 typhoon run with Growler like capabilities in certain airframes.

So how would we fund this?

I've been flamed before but I think an NHS overhaul is in order. n Aus you can pay a $100 (50 quid) per year ambulance cover, if you don't have it and you need an ambulance, $800 invoice. (I am sure there can be concessions for non working). Why should we have the right to a free ambulance?

More focus on people obtaining private health cover, I need my cartilage tears sorted, $4000 in Aus without insurance. NHS it's free!

So I'm not talking about any reduction in spend to the NHS, just that I think people should have to pay more to keep it as such a fine establishment. (Ok I hear we already pay tax - well not as much as some and yet we have the best health service).

Controversial but I think long term unemployed and criminals should have to work, if that's sorting cans in a recycling plant, washing and ironing donated clothes or assisting other government funded initiatives.

Cut foreign aid

Any other thoughts on ways to increase spending and reduce waste?

a reply to: Forensick

I would be all for changes to elements of the way in which both the military, and the NHS are funded.

HOWEVER!!!!

I would only accept changes to the way, and the amount we pay, AFTER a thorough review of the huge sums of money being wasted the entirety of Whitehall, Parliament itself, and all the departments those two powerhouses control. I am talking tens of billions of pounds a year, on poor contracts, contracts which put the taxpayer at a massive disadvantage, and mean that not only do we not get good value for money from what we DO buy, but we also have less money to buy more later.

Private companies that supply government, many of which do not pay the right amount of tax I might add, have been fleecing the government for years, and it is about time that was cleared up. When, and only when that has happened, and we have been able to use the base funding model which already exists, but with greater value for money, would I EVER accept a tax hike.

It is very probable however, that if a proper review was done which highlighted every deal done, and how, and by whom, that ending the lack of transparency and the profiteering of private companies when dealing with government, would actually result in the efforts you are talking about being funded by existing taxation.

a reply to: Forensick

I would agree with you on reforming the NHS, there is a lot of waste, and there are a lot of unhealthy people expecting the overloaded NHS to put them right.

When it comes to our armed forces, we are a very small, but very professional force.
I guess the powers that be analyse the threats to the UK, and tailor our armed forces to suit those threats, as our ever changing world demands.

A happy balance has to be struck between being armed to the teeth ( Futile anyway, against a nuclear aggressor. ) and being ineffectual, when faced with hostility.

It is a very difficult balance to strike, and whatever is decided, some sections of our community will be unhappy....

a reply to: TrueBrit

Agree on that post, the money wasted on peers and second houses and all the other bumf could release huge savings.

Video conferencing works well in big multinational companies, second house, no way, a block of serviced apartments at least a 30 minute tube ride away. No allowance for meals unless you are demanded to be in London, if you just choose to be their..pay your own way, oh and a set budget for travel, to limit jollies at our expense.

No money on home improvements and the of hire cars where a journey in a taxi is more expensive.

I certainly don't think they have any special entitlement, they are after all civil servants.

(Excluded for main cabinet).

The UK should increase its defence strategy and that includes additional planes etc. the exact types are debatable.

The NHS should remain free IMO and only a paying service for immigrants that are not citizens (they should also be able to support themselves here financially as a condition of stay) and only free after at least 6 years here and paying into the system. The NHS tourism being stopped will also save a lot of money as will streamlining the service from not using contractors for cleaning to overpaying such as nurses being paid agency rates that amounts to £200k pa, to a better functioning GP service, faster referrals and holistic care that aims to prevent as a strategy rather than ignoring then attempting to cure.

The funding to other nations has to decrease, such as those recently reported being spent on trapeze training in another nation etc.

Immigration policies that are constructive should be in place, deporting those that don't fit a criteria of being able to self support.

Taxation of large companies that are prone to avoidance should be in place.

Taxation of foreign real estate purchases over a certain amount.

Councils being regulated to spend constructive instead on nonsense like digging up ancient cobbles for tarmac then replacing that again with new cobbles, redoing functional carparks that already functional, messing up road building and planning applications that aren't constructive etc.

a reply to: chalybeate

What grips my sh@ is smokers and drinkers but then to be fair they pay so much tax they probable subsidise a lot of sick immigrants on hospital holidays!

We do need to put a stop to that, any country who issues a person with a passport should underwrite that travellers medical expenses or they are not allowed in UK

and illegal immigrants if they cannot be returned to their country of origin go through an nationalisation program under a student loan type arrangement, adult college to learn English and maths and basic science. Then encouraged to do uni, but all fees need to be payed when they get a job or deducted from welfare.

I would also like to see them confined to hostels until they can pay their way and again a rent deducted from their benefits before they get them.

Perhaps a one child policy for anyone on benefits....very controversial, but implants in partners to prevent accidents. any others will be adopted.

More police fines going to the police to reduce police budget, it's not hard to stick to a speed limit or stop at a red light (however I don't thin broken lights etc should fall under this). I think thuggery should have higher fines with the extra portion to pay police costs, again removed from benefits if on them.

Scrap road excise and increase fuel tax, pay for your miles on the road, the further you drive the more you pay, the bigger your engine the more you pay, not sure how it would work with electric vehicles but maybe you could still have tax discs for them.