Hugh Sandeman
Conservative Councillor for Bell Hill ward, Petersfield

The Labour Government is threatening to further cut both the Royal Navy and Portsmouth Naval Base. The Portsmouth News is running an effective campaign to raise awareness of this threat.

Strengthening the armed forces should be at the top of the Labour agenda - especially as they continue to commit over-stretched men, women and equipment to the mire of warfare in distant lands.

Today at the Conservative conference Dr Liam Fox (Shadow Defence) warned of the increasing threat of not only from terrorists but from the increasingly restless Russia who this year alone has increased her spending on defence by 25%.

In these circumstances where we face towering threats to our Country it seems ironic that as the Reds rebuild their military capability the hapless socialist scrimping on military spending by our own Government has the potential to leave Britain exposed to those who seek to harm us.