Corporate ship sponsorship or regular defence funding?

Should Royal Navy ships seek company sponsors as Russian ships did in the 1990s?

The proposal is rejected in favour of adequately funding defence through the normal budget. The argument also rejects treating social security and national security as an unavoidable either-or choice.

Company sponsorship is rejected as a solution to the Royal Navy's funding problem in favour of a larger regular defence budget. The proposed annual British defence budget is roughly £101 billion, compared with spending estimated in the £70 billion range. That funding argument criticises cuts pursued in the name of efficiency. It also challenges treating social security and national security as choices that cannot both be funded. Other spending priorities are available for reconsideration, and the economy need not remain a fixed sum to divide between them. Investment in defence, infrastructure and technology is proposed as a way to support growth. The figures and priorities express a policy preference without a detailed costed budget.