Labour to put Tories on spot over forces cuts

THE Government will be forced to defend Army cuts in parliament in the face of increasing threats from Russia.

Labour will today use an opposition day motion to question the Tories over its 2019 election pledge, where Boris Johnson said he would “not be cutting the armed services in any form”.

However, the recent Command Paper revealed that as part of its pivot towards cyber, more than 100 aircraft would be scrapped, the size of the Army reduced from 82,000 to 72,500 and a number of tanks got rid of.

John Healey, Labour’s shadow defence secretary, said his party wants “to hold the Prime Minister to his pledge not to cut our Armed Forces”.

He said: “The Government says the threats to the UK are increasing yet they plan fewer troops, fewer ships, fewer planes over the next few years. Ministers must square this circle and back off.

“Ministers confirm that Russia’s modernised land and sea forces are the number one threat to Britain and our allies. They must ensure we are ready to meet the growing threats now and in the years ahead.”

It comes as Tobias Ellwood, the defence select committee chairman, told MPS yesterday the G7’s recent statement where it called for Russia to deescalate regarding its “ongoing build-up of Russian military forces on Ukraine’s borders and in illegally-annexed Crimea”, was a reminder of the need for physical force.

Mr Ellwood said: “It is a reminder that as much as we’ve tilted towards the cyber resilience, conventional capabilities count and perhaps this is the wrong time to be reducing the number of tanks, armoured vehicles and infanteers as well. Force, presence, upstream engaging, holding terrains, absolutely counts in today’s day and age.”

Retired Rear Admiral Alex Burton, former commander of UK Maritime Forces, said there was a value “capacity building” offered and “the knowledge that those threatened states have friends”.