'Blood on the floor' at MoD, claim ex-defence chiefs

Friday, 23 November 2007 12:00 AM

The government has faced further accusations it has broken the military covenant after a former chief of defence staff alleged there was "blood on the floor" at the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Five former defence chiefs have attacked the government's support for the armed forces, warning personnel are under resourced and over-stretched.

The government has rejected the accusations, pointing out defence spending in the UK is the second highest in the world in real terms, second only to the US.

In a Lords debate, Admiral Lord Boyce contested this, claiming funding is falling.

Lord Boyce, who was chief of the defence staff in 2003, said Gordon Brown had employed a "smoke and mirrors" strategy and not delivered an actual increase in the defence budget.

He said: "This negative budget is why if you go to the MoD today you will find blood on the floor as the defence programme is slashed to meet the desperate funding situation."

Personnel are being put at risk, he warned fellow peers, because of investment shortages.

In a damaging critique of the prime minister, General Lord Guthrie said Gordon Brown had been the "most unsympathetic chancellor" to defence budgets and the only senior Cabinet minister who avoided coming to the MoD for briefings.

Lord Craig said the government has now broken the military covenant.

He asked peers: "Is it not immoral to commit forces that are under-prepared and ill-equipped for their task?"

Lord Astor concurred, saying the army is at the end of its tether, with troops feeling "devalued, angry and suffering from Iraq fatigue."

Field Marshal Lord Inge blamed management failings in part and said Des Browne needed to concentrate fully on his job as defence secretary.

The Conservatives have criticised the prime minister for employing a part-time defence secretary, with Des Browne split between the Scottish Office and the MoD.

Responding to the attacks, shadow defence secretary Liam Fox said: "There are clearly still shortages of equipment and the government has consistently increased the tasks that it is asking our troops to carry out, yet it is not matching the commitments with resources.

"The overstretch which effects servicemen and women, and their families, is now reaching a critical level."

The government has rejected the criticism, insisting morale is "good".

Defence minister Derek Twigg said the present chiefs of staff - who are not allowed to publicly criticise the government - do not share their predecessor's concerns.

The latest figures on military recruitment and retention show the shortfall in troops has increased by 50 per cent of the last year.

The MoD is now 4,500 soldiers short of requirements.

Liberal Democrat defence spokesman Nick Harvey said this "exodus" was the price to be paid for waging two separate wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"The government must set a timetable for a full withdrawal of troops from Iraq to give our forces a chance to recover and continue to fight effectively in Afghanistan."

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