Soames attacks 'too wet and complacent' Hoon

Nicholas Soames was today launching a highly personal attack on Geoff Hoon, claiming he has been an "abject failure" as Defence Secretary.

Shadow defence secretary Mr Soames was accusing a "complacent and pedestrian" Mr Hoon of being "too wet" to defend the budget from cuts. "It is to the eternal shame of a thoroughly complacent and pedestrian Secretary of State that he has been totally incapable of standing up for the armed forces and is simply too wet to take on our dysfunctional Chancellor in the services' interests."

Mr Soames was saying Labour has presided over seven rounds of defence cuts since coming to power in 1997. He was attacking Mr Hoon for failing to ensure British soldiers in Iraq had the right kit and

equipment and accusing him of failing to address the "serious shortcomings" in equipment, procurement and logistics.

"In particular, Hoon stands guilty of not ensuring that service personnel received the equipment needed on operations including, in Iraq, desert boots, combat kit, flak jackets, and most shamefully, given the threat, adequate chemical and biological protection equipment and other critical items," he was saying.

Mr Soames was giving an "absolute assurance" that a future Tory government would reverse cuts announced earlier this summer and increase defence spending by £2.7 billion over three years.