AFTER years of defence cuts, nearly half the public now believe the Army cannot defend Britain, according to a survey from a military charity.

The survey found widespread support for the Forces, but also widespread concern about the effect of cuts and the prospect of more to come.

David Cameron refused to rule out further defence cuts as part of deeper Whitehall austerity savings and has also refused to say Britain will keep hitting its Nato target of spending 2 per cent of GDP on the military.

The survey by ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, the national charity of the Army, found 46 per cent agreed “the British Army can’t meet the real threats to modern Britain”, while 65 per cent believe there should be no more cuts to the Army.

The Prime Minister has said Army numbers will not be reduced again after 20,000 regulars were made redundant following the 2010 defence review, but has not ruled out reduced budgets.

The poll of 2,100 people carried out by YouGov to mark Armed Forces Day this week- end also found 52 per cent thought the Armed Forces as a whole were “very necessary” to society.

Brig Robin Bacon, chief of staff of the charity, said: “Given the current instability in the world and the threats the UK faces, it is no wonder that the public feels that our Armed Forces are necessary.”

Military leaders have warned that cuts are undermining the Forces. According to one estimate by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the 8 per cent budget cuts after the 2010 review could have cut military combat capability by as much as 30 per cent.

British cuts have also caused worry across the Atlantic, where US commanders have said they fear losing a key ally.