Recent news that the Ministry of Defence will be required to make a further £1 billion in cuts to the defence budget this year may explain the virtual absence of the subject in the Queen’s Speech. Despite constant warnings by the Defence Select Committee and many backbenchers right up to the election recess, the Treasury seems determined to press ahead with a five per cent cut in most government departments, with the exception of health, education and foreign aid. Mr Cameron has already promised to renew Trident and maintain troop numbers; this leaves the MoD will very little space to manoeuvre. Defence sources say that training and operational deployments will inevitably be cut, leaving us even less able to counter some of the more significant threats, which have sprung up across the world. China is building her unconventional and conventional arsenal, including, for the first time, a huge maritime capability. Russia has seamlessly annexed Crimea and is still fighting in Ukraine, right on the borders of Europe. ISIL is cutting a swathe across the Middle East, despite coalition attempts to stop them in their tracks. There has rarely been a worse time for more defence cuts and the United States cannot be expected to shoulder most of the burden – and the bill – for protecting Europe for much longer.