Late and Overbudget: A story of Government projects

There are two key areas that government is particularly bad at when it comes to major projects: completing the project on time and within budget.  I think today we have found the winner of the most ridiculous example of that recurring government problem.  The Times today reports that The Ministry of Defence's 20 biggest weapons projects are £2.6 billion over budget and a total of 36 years behind schedule! (Cumulatively, to be fair to the MoD).  That is six times longer than the length of the Second World War!  Just as well we haven't got a war to fight... d'oh!  What are we going to end up with - a load of Spitfires and Sherman Tanks... that'll have the Iraqi insurgents quaking in their boots and make the Russian's think twice about their flirting with British airspace.  I wonder what they will do with replacing Trident - a snip at £19bn.  Imagine what it will cost after it is delayed for 36 years?! 

Amusingly, and rather fortunately, the Eurofighter (or Typhoon) has just come in to service.  The aircraft was conceived during the Cold War.  It has taken so long to be built and brought in to commission, that everyone was worried that it would be redundant in the post cold-war era.  However, the project has run so late that it now back in fashion with the renewed Russian patrols.  Brilliant planning by the MoD.  Brilliant.