Philip Hammond: I've Balanced The MoD Books

PA  |  Posted: 13/05/2012 08:25 Updated: 13/05/2012 12:27   PA

The cash-stricken Ministry of Defence has finally succeeded in balancing the books, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has signalled.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, he indicated he had plugged the £38 billion "black hole" in the defence budget which ministers said they inherited from the last Labour government.

"In the next few days we will be in a position to make the grand announcement that I've balanced the books," he said.

"In terms of reducing the size of the Civil Service, the Army and the Air Force, we shouldn't have to do any more over and above what we've already announced."

In a major U-turn last week, Mr Hammond announced he was scrapping plans to acquire a more capable version of the US-built Joint Strike Fighter for the Royal Navy's new aircraft carriers.

He said the decision - in the face of soaring costs - to revert to the jump jet variant ordered by Labour was the "last big piece in the jigsaw".
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The cash-stricken Ministry of Defence has finally succeeded in balancing the books, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has signalled. In an interview with The Sunday Times, he indicated he had plugge...
The cash-stricken Ministry of Defence has finally succeeded in balancing the books, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has signalled. In an interview with The Sunday Times, he indicated he had plugge...
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04:14 PM on 05/14/2012
how our great leaders (not) can walk around without thier noses scrapeing the ground i do not know, perhaps tthe carpenter has to pay a visit early in the mornings just to do a little sawring
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Mickey Mouse 1
There are no lies or deceit on a chess board.
11:00 PM on 05/13/2012
I would like to balance the government's books and make all Labour MP's and those who voted for them solely responsible for their debt.
11:58 PM on 05/13/2012
Labour,left a debt of about £800 billion, 2.5% growth rate,lowest bank rate for years and low unemployment.The expected debt by the tories is to rise to £1600 billion,we are in a double dip recession,growth is not expected to rise again for some time,as the dole queues are getting longer.I would rather have Labour back any day.
10:47 PM on 05/13/2012
I've plugged the hole - I got my namesake hannond to crash a high speed car into it!!!!!
10:26 PM on 05/13/2012
£40 billion to the banks, £10 billion to the IMF, and now they find another £38 billion in the coffers. Do you think folks , that there is the slghtest possibility, that our coalition government lies to us. They do thi , off the backs of the most vulnerable in the UK.!
08:20 AM on 05/23/2012
It appears that Hammond may have obtained the £38 billion from Francis Maude's Department, which coincidentally has lost precisely the same amount!
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/05/22/francis-maude-condemns-government-waste_n_1537376.html?ref=uk
08:23 PM on 05/13/2012
Fiddled the books - more like!
08:23 PM on 05/13/2012
Hammond, balances Book's.
And now, for his next Trick................
08:22 PM on 05/13/2012
Does he mean that like all politicians, he has fiddled the budget for their own convenience.
You cannot trust or believe them.
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
paulie boy
Justice for all..not the few
07:58 PM on 05/13/2012
He has balanced the books at the expence of thousands of servicemen and the loss of the harrier aircraft.. he has left us unable to defend ourselves, without the help of the french.
we know what contribution they made in the last world war..capitulation and collaboration. apart from a few brave resistance fighters..
08:37 PM on 05/13/2012
Don't forget the french selling the Argies the exorcet missile whilst our boys were fighting them in the falklands and being killed by such a missile.
08:48 PM on 05/13/2012
Correct he has not balanced the books at all just cancelled services
07:36 PM on 05/13/2012
surely then this is the guy we need to take charge and sort out the deficit or will we find out that all he did was make 38 billion pounds of cuts and proclaim himself a miracle worker.
08:53 PM on 05/13/2012
in a word - YES
06:37 PM on 05/13/2012
Hammonds been drinking Cheap plonk............Again.......
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britalia56
06:27 PM on 05/13/2012
where on your flat head?
06:22 PM on 05/13/2012
If he has done this with the U Turn on the F35, it is ironic to think that we "gave" VTOL Harrier technology to the Yanks and now we are buying it back! Great bit of business, eh?
05:51 PM on 05/13/2012
Gosh, I under estimated your Spare - Cash by 10bn.
You Posh - Boy's have deeper pocket's then even I thought.
05:48 PM on 05/13/2012
So Phil, just really where did you find a spare 28bn to plug the Gap, when everyone else has been running around blaming Gordon Brown.

Hey, I know how you did it, you and the Posh - Boy's had a Whip - 'Round, and donated their Spare -Cash???
05:29 PM on 05/13/2012
bit off track, anyone know whats happened about Huhnes motoring problem ? or are they hoping we`ll all forget about it ? and whys it taking so long ?