UK Defense secretary's call for new welfare cuts criticized
Iran Press TV
Sun Mar 3, 2013 5:49PM GMT
British Liberal Democrat President Tim Farron has branded defense secretary Philip Hammond's call for cuts to welfare budget instead of defence spending as "morally wrong" and "economically stupid."
Speaking on state-run BBC's Andrew Marr show on Sunday, Farron said cutting welfare to support more spending on armed forces would be "a ludicrous thing to do."
"I heard Philip Hammond making those comments and you think at a time like this to think that it's more important to be investing money into Trident or something like that, rather than protecting those people who are the least well off in our society - that would be morally wrong as well as just economically stupid," he said.
Earlier this week, Hammond said defense should be given the 'first priority,' claiming other Conservatives in the cabinet also believe welfare spending should be falling.
The Ministry of Defense (MoD) has already faced cuts worth tens of billions of pounds in the 2010's Strategic Defense and Security Review as well as in the defense spending plan for 2013-2015.
The MoD has recently come under public criticism, following the reports of budget mismanagement.
SSM/PKH/HE
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