Noted defence expert Owen Jones keeps closely abreast of the latest developments in technology – but he made an absolute boob when he appeared on Radio 2 on Wednesday to debate Keir Starmer’s investment plan.
The Guardian columnist – awkwardly introduced by host Tina Daheley as working for something called the Garden – was jousting with former Army officer Hamish de Bretton-Gordon on the outgoing PM’s plans for a £15 billion increase in defence spending over four years (de Bretton-Gordon is in favour, Jones not so much).
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Alas for the left wing rabble-rouser listeners were more distracted by Jones, in the midst of a 100-word answer, managing to diagnose squaddies as suffering from an ailment called tittyness.
“The problem with defence spending is it’s the one area of public spending which does not have proper scrutiny applied to it, which is why we ended up with billions being squandered on aircraft carriers which then ended up being described by the former chief of the defence staff David Richmonds [sic] as unaffordable, vulnerable metal cans plagued with faults and also outmoded in the face of armed drones, anti-ship missiles, five-and-a-half billion thrown at Ajax armoured vehicles which were delivered eight years too late, beset by multiple problems like shaking so violently soldiers developed tittyness, nausea and so on,” said Jones, taking nary a breath.
An unfortunate error by OJ – who has certainly had his knockers in the past.
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