Did Putin and Netanyahu have bad times in nursery?

IN the 1950s, we Brits spent 7% of our GDP every year on defence. That's a lot, right?

- BECKY SHEAVES

Well, we'd just been through a world war and were understandably jittery. Nowadays, we are trying desperately to get more than 2% of our annual wealth shelled out on, well, shells. And rockets, soldiers, tanks and battleships.

The Strategic Defence Review is promising all sorts and something is telling me that this will mean there will be tax rises this year after all. No matter what was promised in the Labour Party manifesto.

Given the state of the world today, it's hard to argue against the idea that we desperately need more fighting power. Not to mention more clever drones and cyber security. And a strong push back against the bots and bad people who incite violence and extremism all over the online world.

However crikey... what a waste of money it all is, isn't it? When you look at the state of Gaza and, say, Mariupol, both razed to the ground in recent conflicts, the appalling effects on the poor people who live there are obvious. But also, just consider the sheer horror of smashing up other people's buildings their homes and cities. It's not pretty, is it?