One important aspect is missing from Camilla Cavendish’s fine analysis of the challenges and fiscal restraints facing the government in reviewing the future of defence spending (“Britain must decide if it is to remain a serious player on defence”, Opinion, FT.com, February 1) — a piece written before the latest ructions caused by the US decision to suspend arms supplies to Ukraine.
Partly in response to criticism by parliament’s public accounts committee of “wastage of taxpayers’ money running into the billions” and the committee’s conclusion that the defence department’s broken system for acquiring military equipment needs an urgent rethink led by HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office, the government announced in October last year it was looking to appoint a new “national armaments director” to overhaul procurement and cut waste. So far, so good. But the post is yet to be recruited. Just saying . . .
Brendan Griggs
Cambridge, UK