Can the SNP u-turn on NATO without u-turning on nuclear weapons as well?
Are the SNP about to perform a u-turn over its policy concerning whether an independent Scotland would join NATO?
Defence
Trident: Should Labour call for it to be scrapped?
Labour should back the scrapping of Trident, writes Toby Fenwick, author of the CentreForum report “Dropping the bomb: a post Trident future”.
Is there any way out of the Fox-hole?
The Liam Fox/Adam Werritty scandal drags on. And on. And on. Left Foot Forward’s Alex Hern covers the latest developments in the Fox hunt.
How long can slippery Fox cling on?
As the Liam Fox/Adam Werritty scandal rolls on, it emerged this morning Werritty will be quizzed on his sources of income, reports Das.
How UK taxpayers underwrite military sales to a Middle East autocracy
How the UK taxpayer is underwriting military sales to an autocratic middle eastern regime
Defence procurement suits contractors not soldiers
Conservative MP Douglas Carswell calls on the coalition to take action on defence procurement, and points out the flaws in the current policy.
Defence procurement – a corporatist con trick?
Douglas Carswell introduces his regular monthly column for Left Foot Forward on defence procurement, tackling both the symptoms of a dysfunctional system and its causes.
Government ramps up Trident work despite coalition pledge
As the government cracks under pressure on forest sales and housing benefit for the long-term unemployed, further revelations on Trident replacement spending are adding to their headaches.
Fox under pressure on £4.3bn of mystery “non frontline savings”
Jim Murphy has urged the Government to come clean on how it would achieve “at least £4.3 billion of non frontline savings”. The MOD is unable to account for its numbers.
Cost of Trident delay inevitable result of the compromise of coalition
Defence secretary Liam Fox’s admission that the Trident delay announced in last month’s Strategic Defence & Security Review (SDSR) will cost up to £1.4 billion attracted fresh criticism of the government’s handling of the issue. John Woodcock, the Labour MP for Barrow – where the submarines are built – claimed the coalition was “playing politics with Britain’s national security” by delaying the decision on Trident renewal for five years so as to avoid a Liberal Democrat revolt on the issue.