Labour's legacy

While some will contend that David Cameron's approach is too draconian, Labour's laissez-faire attitude to spending is one reason why the coalition inherited a 36bn black hole in the defence budget.

Of course, the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts have impacted upon spending plans. Neither war could have been foreseen in 1997. But, while views on the legitimacy of both conflicts continue to divide opinion, the abject management at the MoD – as highlighted by a scathing Parliamentary report today – is, frankly, indefensible.

No wonder the country's finances were left in such a parlous state when there was no financial strategy at the MoD, and when the ad hoc manner in which savings were supposedly accrued actually left the taxpayer footing an even greater bill in the long-term.

The report, by the respected Public Accounts Committee, is a salutary lesson in how not to run a Whitehall department. And, while it is a predictable reflection of Labour's legacy, Mr Cameron should, in fact, send a copy to every Minister – and point out that he will expect their resignation if their department is criticised so disparagingly in the future.

The lack of financial controls, and resulting waste, is also a reminder that Mr Cameron was wrong to accelerate the much-delayed defence review so that it coincided with the timing of its own cuts agenda.

National security is one area of policy that needs to be examined separately to the wider austerity programme, with the proviso that savings will be achieved where appropriate.