Robertson backs call for extra MoD money

A former Labour Defence Secretary has backed the five ex-military chiefs who last week called on the Government to spend more on the Armed Forces (Michael Evans writes).

Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, who was Defence Secretary from 1997-99, declared his support for military spending to rise to more than £40 billion a year.

Britain currently spends £33.4 billion, representing 2.5 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). But Lord Robertson, who went on to become Nato Secretary-General, said that he believed defence spending should rise to 3 per cent of GDP, the equivalent of £7 billion more.

Defence spending is currently due to rise to £36.9 billion by 2010, which will not represent an increase in proportion of GDP.

Police racism hearing

Superintendent Chris Pretty, the former head of training for the West Midlands Police, is to appear before a misconduct panel after two officers reported him for allegedly referring to BMWs as “black man’s wheels” during a farewell speech after colleagues presented him with a toy car.

Nanotechnology fear

Scientists and engineers working on nanotechnology are more concerned about the risks it poses to human health and the environment than are the general public, according to a study in Nature Nanotechnology. One issue is toxicology: benign chemicals may be toxic when produced at nanoscale.

As daft as a brush?

Electric toothbrushes that cost £150 may be no better than ones costing £3, according to a survey by Which? magazine. The top three brushes in its survey all cost over £100, but an equal score was given to the £150 Philips Sonicare Flexcare and the £3 Colgate Micro Sonic Power. The £140 Oral B Triumph 9900 came top.

Shopper’s head stand

A grandfather was banned from a shop after refusing to take off his trilby. Frank Dineen, 75, went into Mr Cheap in Havant, Hampshire, for Christmas cards, and was told to take off his hat for the closed-camera television cameras. Mr Dineen said: “I will take my hat off in the presence of royalty, but never in a shop.”

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