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British troops will now wear socks made in China after the Ministry of Defence decided to terminate the contract of a firm which supplied them for 80 years. The MoD has given the contract to a Northern Ireland firm, Cooneen Watts and Stone, which manufactures its socks in China and will supply 2.5 million pairs over four years. Earlier, HJ Hall had provided socks for the Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy for 80 years. "Following an open tender process, a new contract to provide socks was awarded to Cooneen Watts and Stone, who offered the best value for money to meet our requirements," The Telegraph quoted a MoD spokesman, as saying. "We would like to thank HJ Hall for the contribution they have made," the spokesman added. However, HJ bosses said it was wrong that servicemen and women were getting the "cheapest" option. "I don't think it's right that men who are out there defending the country in all weathers should be wearing the cheapest socks the MoD can get," said Anton Jenkins, HJ's Sales and Marketing Director. "With the greatest respect to the other company, we have been making socks for 120 years and have people who have been here for 40 years. That is what you are paying for. Our socks are primarily made in the UK , but these socks will be made in China ," he added.

British troops will soon be wearing Chinese socks!