The recent report on the fatal Nimrod crash (your report, 29 October) condemns the MoD, but what pressure was put on the department by the Treasury and the Cabinet to cut costs? We know Gordon Brown was indifferent to military spending and Tony Blair oblivious to anything happening on the domestic scene.
In addition to those mentioned in the report, the defence secretaries George Robertson, Geoff Hoon and John Reid must bear some responsibility for the disastrous organisation of the MoD from 1997.
Also, since it was probably Treasury pressure whic
h caused the climate of cuts in the MoD, as serving officers are unlikely to skimp on equipment unless under external pressure, much of the blame must pass eventually to the financial policies of the Labour government. This means the final responsibility for this catastrophe, the lack of helicopters and bomb-protected vehicles on the battlefield and deficiencies in personal equipment must be placed with Gordon Brown.
BRUCE D SKIVINGTON
Pairc a Ghlib
Strath Gairloch, Wester RossAlas, the QC's findings on the Nimrod exploding and the MoD's penny-pinching are not news to me.
As aircrew in the RAF, on transport aircraft, I had a career which could have taken me through to my 55th birthday. I opted instead to leave at age 40, with pension, because of the increasing demands of the bean counters to make us fly with snags that previously had been classified as "no-go". These worried me so much after several hairy experiences that I decided a secure income was not worth the likelihood of not seeing my children grow up.
This was in 1975. I have watched events since and remain convinced I made the right decision.
JOHN DORWARD
Brechin Road
Arbroath, Angus 