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UKIP MEP calls for MOD to be scrapped

July 17, 2012 4:48 pm

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The Tories are increasingly worried about losing votes to UKIP, but I wonder how many people know about their plan to abolish the Ministry of Defence?

Last month Godfrey Bloom MEP advocated a “Scrap the MOD” policy in a blogpost that argued:

“The MoD is not able to reform, it must go. It should be replaced by a procurement agency taking its briefing as directly as possible from the Chiefs of Staff.”

He also seemed to suggest that young people might be forced into the armed forces, saying:

“Recruitment should never be an issue, not with 24 per cent youth unemployment. Carrot and stick please.”

Is conscription the UKIP policy for youth unemployment?

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  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000610382453 Alexander Balkan

    The way Labour can twist words…

  • http://twitter.com/mistyblulabour dave stone

    You have to hand it to UKIP – they’re not scared of thinking the unthinkable.

    • treborc

      Getting rid of the MOD is not the answer is it, the whole idea that we end up with anyone capable of spending money wisely, what ever the MOD does it’s the government who sanction the spending on the big stuff , aircraft , carriers, war ships, body armour.

      At the moment of course recruitment for the army is now being driven towards the TA’s, but of course the TA’s are a handy group of people  to have to back up your main battle group, but for a while now they have been the battle group themselves.

      But the MOD spending is of courses finally down to government it has to be, they pay the bill in the end, and of course labour and the Tories will say it was them they did it it was not me I did not see it.

  • John Dore

    This is actually a very sound policy, when you understand the problem. The MOD will not reform itself, reduce its largesse or fix the procurement issues. It waste’s more money than any other government department. Scrapping it and starting again might be a great fix.

  • JoeDM

    Seems a sensible and valid point.   If parts of the MOD is no longer fit for purpose then change it.

  • John Ruddy

    Dont we want to encourage tory voters to turn to UKIP?

    • http://twitter.com/mistyblulabour dave stone

      Cameron is doing his best…

      • John Dore

        I think we’re getting a good share if you look at the polls.

        • John Ruddy

          I meant in terms of Tory voters defecting to UKIP, and therefore making it easier for Labour to win in Tory/Labour marginals.  I’m sure I read somewhere that the UKIP vote was bigger than the Labour majority in 20 seats in 2010.

  • Hugh

    Why would you think abolishing the MoD would be unpopular among UKIP’s potential pool of voters? There’s a significant amount of contempt for it among many right wingers who note, fairly or unfairly, that while the army is continually cut, the number of bureaucrats in the MoD tends to only rise.

    • PeterBarnard

      Not true, Hugh (” …number of bureaucrats …”) ; in 1996, there were 239,000 civilians in the MoD and by 2010, this had been reduced to 152,000 (Annual Abstract of Statistics 2005 and 2011).

      Many of these civilians are classed as “industrial” (as opposed to “pen-pushing bureaucrats”).

      • Hugh

        Thanks, I didn’t know – hence I said fairly or unfairly.

        My point is the writer seems to be confusing the MoD with the military and supposing that right-wing affection for the latter translates to affection for the former. It doesn’t.

      • https://mikestallard.virtualgallery.com/ Mike Stallard

        And the number of infantry is?…………..

    • PeterBarnard

      Not true, Hugh (” …number of bureaucrats …”) ; in 1996, there were 239,000 civilians in the MoD and by 2010, this had been reduced to 152,000 (Annual Abstract of Statistics 2005 and 2011).

      Many of these civilians are classed as “industrial” (as opposed to “pen-pushing bureaucrats”).

  • Mark

    “Recruitment should never be an issue, not with 24 per cent youth unemployment. Carrot and stick please.”

    “Recruitment”? “Carrot?” “Stick”. I thought it was more about P45s – unless G4S offers a longer term escape than just the Olympics. Would the squaddies be TUPE’d?

    • treborc

       But of course your not asking for recruits now look at TV they are telling people to join the TA’s also the selection for recruits is now  much harder the army is looking for highly skilled people, the front line foot sloggers will be done by the TA’s.

  • https://mikestallard.virtualgallery.com/ Mike Stallard

    Let me give you some help.
    “Swivel eyed.”
    “BNP”
    “EDL”
    “Racist scum.”
    “Fascists” (always gets applause that one).
    I believe you have already done “Nazis”.

    UKIP are indeed a menace – to the Conservatives – because they are splitting the right up. But they are not mad. They have a serious case and if this is the best you can do, then quite honestly, I can see why people are turned off politics at the moment.

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