Alison Seabeck MP, Labour’s Shadow Defence Minister, commenting on media speculation about the collapse of the MoD’s government-owned, contractor-operated procurement plans, said:

“This looks like another embarrassing u-turn from a Government that doesn’t listen. Despite Labour’s warnings about poor management of the process and the serious concerns raised about its viability, Ministers continued to insist that everything was fine.

"That was clearly wrong, and it’s a combination of incompetence and arrogance that has wasted millions of pounds of taxpayers money. It has also left the Government’s plans for much-needed reform of defence procurement in disarray. It’s the latest fiasco at the Ministry of Defence on David Cameron’s watch.”