On the one hand we have a Labour [sic] Government readily coming up with £24 billion (and counting) to bail out the shareholders of Northern Rock, a failed, mismanaged and privately-owned bank (a large part of this cash will probably never be repaid to the British people - lucky Swiss bankers).On the other hand we have a report from General Dannatt, Chief of the General Staff, saying that years of Government underfunding have left British troops feeling "devalued, angry and suffering from Iraq fatigue". The report paints a damning picture of life in an overstretched British Army after years of neglect.
It would seem that the Labour Government would rather hand over vast sums of taxpayers' cash to its friends in the City rather than spend money on bringing the service conditions of the ordinary soldiers and their families up to an acceptable standard. I suppose this is not surprising considering that, when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer, our Prime Minister spent many years squeezing the Army budget.
Should the new owners of Northern Rock ever get around to repaying any of the £billions that Gordon and his chums have given out, then perhaps some of that money might be invested in the guys fighting and dying for the Government's failed foreign policies.
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