Of all the public expenditure decisions that the next government will have to take, none will be more difficult than the future funding of the armed forces. The defence budget of over £34bn is simply too big to be exempt from cuts; but our national security is too important to be the victim of a short-term need to balance the books.
Can the UK remain a significant military power? Can we afford Trident and new aircraft carriers? Answers will be tough for all politicians, but particularly challenging for the Conservative party, which is likely to be in power next year and will have to decide these issues.
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