Gavin Williamson has made some new proposals regarding the UK’s global military prowess. He only needs to secure £7 billion for them to work.
Gavin Williamson, the UK minister of defense, notorious for his shocking suggestions and clumsy presentation, came up with yet another rhetorical pearl Monday, suggesting that the UK must “enhance its lethality” and “increase its mass” after Brexit.
However, as British columnists note, Williamson’s plans are disconnected from reality. First, the Queen Elizabeth will not be ready for its maiden voyage before 2021. But this is only a minor problem, overshadowed by a much larger one: a huge “black hole” in the UK’s defense budget, believed to amount to some £7 billion, according to the BBC. According to the report, citing the Public Accounts Committee, the MoD lacks the ability to “accurately cost programmes,” and the shortfall could reach £14.8 billion by 2028. This was underscored by Nia Griffith, the shadow defense secretary.