Ashton fires a shot across Hammond's bows

Though I doubt he noticed.


The Defence Minister should be aware that he, and the UK are being not so subtly undermined across the world. This is Cathy Ashton's statement today on her trip to India,

I was saying to the defence minister that I chair the meetings of the 27, soon to be 28, defence ministers, and that’s a real opportunity as we think about issues like pooling and sharing, bringing together our knowledge and our assets and our ability to operate so that we have more to offer India. And India, in its strategic role with countries - particularly perhaps with Brazil and South Africa, its role in the United Nations - has much to offer us too. So for me, there is good progress, but there is much more that we can do.

The inference is pretty clear. Why bother with any EU member state, I am the one in control here.

Mr Hague, Mr Hammond are you listening?