Cartoon by John Sadler

• YOUR Comment asks whether the UK spends too much on defence (The ominous sound of silence on the future of pensions, April 27).

Some 95 per cent of UK trade is carried in ships, one arriving every four minutes at a UK port. Nearly half the UK’s energy requirements come by sea. UK imports and exports are shipped in British and foreign flagged ships. Some 20million containers are crossing the globe every day.

Some major maritime “choke points” around the globe are near countries that do not share our interests. It’s a dangerous world. The government must invest in more naval escorts, maritime logistics and Royal Marines’ amphibious capability.

Investing in our global maritime infrastructure – protection of our trade – is as important as investing in the country’s energy, health and education. However funds should be found first from within the present defence budget.

Taxpayers should no longer fund six RAF display teams (including the Red Arrows), heritage aircraft and hundreds of Air Cadets’ gliders at countless underused airfields. Defence spending should be for the front line not for the nice to have or for showing off.

LESTER MAY
(Lieutenant Commander RN)
NW1