Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »

Thu 11 Nov 2002Army is running on empty, Tories warn LabourBRITAIN: The Conservatives have accused Tony Blair's government of running Britain's armed forces "on empty". The charge came as the Defence Secretary, Mr Geoff Hoon, confirmed America's formal request for British military assistance in contingency planning for any war with Iraq, and as the chief of the defence staff warned that the demands of a protracted strike by firefighters could seriously undermine army planning for future military operations."Labour has been running the armed forces on empty. There is nothing left in the kitty for the unexpected," claimed Conservative defence spokesman Mr Bernard Jenkin, in direct response to the shock warning from Sir Michael Boyce.