Labour calls for ‘proper defence strategy’
Top Story
February 7, 2021
LONDON: Labour has called for the government to devise “a proper defence strategy” after a leaked Ministry of Defence report said the Army is running low on battle-ready soldiers.
Shadow defence secretary John Healey said the report obtained by the Daily Mail “raises the alarm on the readiness of our military”. The Mail said the Ministry of Defence’s Infantry Battalion Soldier Strength Summary – January 2021 showed all but one of the Army’s infantry battalions did not have enough soldiers who were ready for combat.
It also showed the prestigious Scots Guards, which has a working requirement of 603 troops, had just 339 soldiers available for operations. “After a decade of decline our forces are over 10,000 below the strength ministers said are needed, with combat personnel indispensable for our defence and our commitment to NATO,” Mr Healey said.