As Britain asks its Armed Forces to prepare for war, military housing faces possible cuts and equipment programmes are being scaled back.

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In the week of the Poppy Appeal launch, we should remember exactly what we're asking people to sacrifice.

Imagine being 18 and considering a career in the British Armed Forces. You're prepared to serve your country, spend months away from home and, if it comes to it, risk your life. In return, you might find yourself living in accommodation plagued by damp, mould and broken heating, while being asked to trust equipment conceived years before you joined. It's hardly the greatest recruitment advert in the world, is it?

This week, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting told my LBC colleague Natasha Clark that, despite more money going into defence, he was having to prioritise what made Britain "most warfighting ready". Reports suggest as much as £3 billion may need to be reprioritised, with military housing and equipment projects potentially delayed or cut.

I understand the money isn't limitless. I understand that the Ministry of Defence has a long and depressing history of wasting it. But if we are seriously considering delaying improvements to military homes to pay for the military itself, something has gone badly wrong.

Housing isn't a perk........

© LBC