PM Denies Defence Cuts Make UK Laughing Stock

David Cameron has defended the Government's military capability, insisting Britain did "punch above its weight" in Libya and denying cuts made the country a laughing stock abroad.

The Prime Minister said difficult decisions had been taken to limit defence spending and scrap equipment, but disagreed America believes the UK is weaker as a result.

Asked if the Americans and French were mocking the British, he shot back: "I don't think they are," adding the US was "impressed" with the European countries who intervened in Libya.

Mr Cameron said Britain carried out 20% of the strike sorties against Libya, despite figures used by the House of Commons library suggesting it was closer to 10% and fewer than Denmark.

The decision to scrap existing aircraft carriers before building replacements did not hamper the UK's effort, Mr Cameron said.

"I don't think we did suffer," he told the BBC.

"A lot of armchair generals who said you couldn't do it without an aircraft carrier, they were wrong," he said.

He said the cuts to defence spending were minimal "in cash terms" as the same figure - £35bn - will be spent on the MoD in both 2011 and 2015.

However, once inflation is taken into account, this does amount to a "real terms" cut.

The Prime Minister said Britain was right to intervene in Libya because there was both the "moral imperative" to get rid of "monster" Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and international support.

But, while Syria also has a "dictator doing dreadful things", there is no wider consensus backing action there, he added.

His comments come after he said the Nato operation in Libya would continue for "as long as we are needed to protect civilian life".

He made the pledge at a Paris summit co-chaired by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and attended by Libya's National Transitional Council.

After the summit, Mr Cameron also summed up his approach to the recent riots in the UK as "tough love".

He said offenders would be brought to justice and he would work to fix the "broken society" by reinstating "proper moral boundaries".

Asked if he witnessed similar behaviour as a member of the exclusive Oxford University drinking society the Bullingdon Club, he replied: "We all do stupid things when we are young and we should learn the lessons."