THE UK Defence Secretary has denied the Government has plans to slash armed forces numbers, amid reports of a near-20,000 cut to the army.
Ben Wallace told MPs there is “no plan” before claiming “only a fool starts the debate on numbers rather than threat” when it comes to assessing the strategic needs of the UK.
He also said the Government’s major review on foreign policy, defence, security and international development is “not driven by financial pressures” but by threat, which prompted scepticism in the Commons as Labour former minister Chris Bryant noted: “I’ve heard it all before.”
Wallace added on a recent meeting with military chiefs: “It was not a financial discussion, contrary to what was reported, it wasn’t a numbers discussion either, it was a discussion about how we meet the threat and how we deliver a future armed forces to match that.”
READ MORE: Glasgow asylum seekers claim they were prevented from talking to media
Speaking in the Commons at defence questions, Labour’s Nick Smith earlier warned the army’s strength is “woefully short” of the Government’s target.
Wallace claimed the UK is on course to meet its recruitment ambitions and to be “growing the armed forces, not shrinking them”.
Asked by Labour’s Judith Cummins to “categorically deny” reports Number 10 wants to slash the size of the army from 74,000 to 55,000 personnel, Wallace said: “I can confirm there is no plan to slash the size of the armed forces. The reports in the Sunday Times were complete erroneous reports, that was made clear to the journalist at the time.
“What is the case is our armed force should always, always be defined by both the threat we face as a nation, the capabilities we have and Britain’s global ambition and that is why in the integrated review we will deal with those processes rather than start the debate about numbers.”
Conservative former Defence Select Committee chairman Julian Lewis referenced press reports that the planned integrated defence review could result in “swingeing cuts” to armed forces personnel.
Wallace replied: “My right honourable friend has been in this House long enough to never believe everything he reads in the newspapers.”
READ MORE: British military personnel banned from taking the knee while in uniform
Lewis was heard saying “until it happens,” in response.
Tobias Ellwood, the Tory MP who now chairs the Defence Select Committee, asked the Government to bring forward the integrated review.
Ellwood said: “We’re witnessing a shift in power from East to the West.
“Is it not time for us to recalibrate our foreign and security foreign policy to recognise this changing threat and the fact that China is rewriting the international global rules?”
Wallace replied: “The comprehensive spending review is due in the autumn, it is really important, I feel, that the integrated review reports at the same time and also that we learn the lessons from the recent Covid-19 outbreak that shows how important resilience is.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel