What ARE the issues of the day in the UK?

They still are. I love the crest and motto of the Special Boat Service:

They actually have pretty big military budget they are just grossly inefficient in spending it. We are talking paying way too much for crap so they end up with few boots on the ground for all the money spent. They take after the us on that front though have smaller budgets.

What are the British paying to much for?

Trident.

You don't believe the United Kingdom should have a nuclear force? What would you suggest as its replacement.

That is unless they want to become even more dependent on the United States in the future. Though in fairness most nations on Earth are wholly dependent on the U.S. to promise to retaliate on their behalf with nuclear weapons if necessary and it doesn't seem to bother them.

I don't suggest any replacement. There is no requirement for it whatsoever, other than as a £200 billion gift to the manufacturers, and so that those like you who get aroused at the thought of power can have their kicks.

You sneer contemptuously at those ideas, but in the real world such things do matter.

Are you suggesting that those people don't have legitimate desires and goals? Don't they have a right to try to put their beliefs into action?

Since this is code for your usual advocacy of military hegemony, no - they absolutely do not.

Why not?

Because of the same reason that your right to swing your fist ends where my face begins.

Perhaps your national background influences your thinking.

But mine does as well.

And I think that the reign of the British Empire especially in the 1800s was one of the high points for humanity.

Mostly defense contracts. Like in the us they have contractors who know how to work the system and "donate" to politicians in exchange for bloated public contracts so even though the force size is one of the smallest in the First World per capita their procurement budget sucks up an inordinate percentage of the defense budget. It just isn't very efficient and taxpayers end up getting poor value for their money much like in the US.

In the U.S. defense budget, procurement is only about one quarter of the budget IIRC. Most of it is personnel costs.

The British Trident is an import part of US national security. It provides a separate deterrent capability if the US is blackmailed or has a leader like Obama. If reduces the temptation of a decapitation strike.

Look at how much France gets for its money and how much more capability they get. Sure, the UK has copied the US in wanting 95% solutions for 200% of the price while France (like Russia and China) aim for 80% solutions at 50% of the cost but quantity has a quality all of its own. Read up on the US in WW2 about how you don't always need a Cadillac top shelf solution to every problem.

The US and UK should remember their own histories of successfully using 80% dolutions for 50% of the price because often that is not only more affordable but also more successful. You don'y always need an F1 car when a dirt cheap Hyundai will get the job done almost as well for far less cost.

It's a shame that our enlightened leaders neglected to read the rest of the chapter to see how things turn out when we do.

Tea and crumpets?

Polo?

Whether the French should be laughed at or pitied?

How to not run into each other when driving on the wrong side of the road?

The Queen's wishes and commands?

What to make of this crazy new invention?