DEFENCE NEWS

Tam Dalyell MP (Labour) was paraded in front of news cameras to explain why “scores” of brand new Westland Apache helicopters, worth hundreds of millions of pounds, are being mothballed immediately. Dalyell, looking embarrassed and uncomfortable, mumbled his explanation in a halting Scottish accent.
It transpires that the British Army does not have sufficient pilots to fly the Apaches and does not expect the situation to change any time in the next three to four years. Meanwhile, the gun ships, that are the equivalent of flying tanks, will be kept in hangers and cannibalised to keep operational the ones already in service. Dalyell admitted that high-tech equipment that is kept unused and non-maintained can deteriorate with time. If you are a taxpayer you will no doubt be wondering why your hard earned money is being wasted in this appalling manner.
We are given two reasons. Firstly, the programme designed to train pilots is about three years behind schedule. The fact that the programme is being run by a private company and not the armed forces isn’t seen as the main problem apparently. The sole perpetrator of this debacle, you must understand, is the Tory Party, the favourite Labour scapegoat. You see, back in 1995, John Major’s government ordered too many Apache helicopters!
The order for the helicopters was placed seven years ago. Labour seized power in 1997 and were presumably aware of the fact that sooner or later Westland would be delivering the helicopters.
Five years is more than sufficient time to train pilots. The responsibility for this fiasco falls solidly on the shoulders of Labour and its swingeing cuts in the defence budget. Before Tony Bleurghhh offers military assistance for Bush the Bewildered’s War for Oil, shouldn’t he be making certain that our “boys” are sent into conflict with guns that work and enough helicopters to back them up? New Labour, New F*ck-up.