Defence wins again

All teachers are to win a £7,500 pay rise. Two dozen fully equipped hospitals are to be built. It could have happened - if the 12 hunter-killer submarines, which cost £3bn and are now out of action for repairs, had not been built. Unilateralists will argue that if we can do without the subs temporarily then we should do so for good. It's an argument that will win little support - but a reminder that, even in this post-Cold War era, no matter how bad the state of our schools and health service, defence maintains its clout in public spending rounds.

All teachers are to win a £7,500 pay rise. Two dozen fully equipped hospitals are to be built. It could have happened - if the 12 hunter-killer submarines, which cost £3bn and are now out of action for repairs, had not been built. Unilateralists will argue that if we can do without the subs temporarily then we should do so for good. It's an argument that will win little support - but a reminder that, even in this post-Cold War era, no matter how bad the state of our schools and health service, defence maintains its clout in public spending rounds.