Labour's defence review

Gordon Brown has consistently let down our Armed Forces. He underfunded the last defence review and tried to force savage cuts on our Armed Forces in the middle of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have had four Defence Secretaries in four years, one of whom was part-time. His record is one of contempt, not respect, for our military. It’s clear that Gordon Brown’s decision to announce a review now, on the eve of a general election, is more about winning votes than national security. Gordon Brown will say anything to get re-elected – which is why we need to change to get Britain back on its feet.

Labour’s failure on defence – key facts

· The Armed Forces have been reduced by 21,000 since 1997.

· There are more civil servants in the MoD than there are sailors and airmen combined.

· Gordon Brown cut the helicopter budget by £1.4 billion in 2004, leading to a shortage in helicopters.