‘Inflation-busting pay rise’ for British troops

BRITISH troops could be in line for an inflation-busting 3 per cent pay rise.

Defence minister Tobias Ellwood has called for more than £7billion in extra funding for Britain’s 137,000 service personnel because they ‘deserve a pay rise’, it was reported.

He said that total defence spending should be increased ‘north of 2.5 per cent’ of GDP, up from the current 2.14 per cent.

The independent Armed Forces Pay Review Body that assesses military salaries has reportedly recommended a 3 per cent pay increase, an anonymous source told The Times.

Mr Ellwood, 51, said he did not know what the recommendations were but that he hoped they would be honoured by the Government.

‘We must look after our people,’ he said. ‘Nobody joins the Armed Forces for money as such, but we must avoid pay being an issue as to why they would be deterred from it. There needs to be a pay rise.

‘We have still got to conclude the defence modernisation programme but you would need to move north of 2.5 per cent to make any of this work, if you want to retain the same defence posture given the dangers the complexities of the world that we face.’

His comments come a week after he suggested that funding for the Armed Forces should be on a par with the National Health Service.

The Ministry of Defence faces a budgetary black hole of as much as £20billion over the next decade.

Last night the MoD did not deny the reports, with a spokesman saying: ‘The Armed Forces Pay Review Body’s recommendations for the 201 pay award are being considered by the Government and an announcement will be made in due course.’