It is deeply concerning that the size of the Army has fallen yet again on this Government’s watch – Nia Griffith

“It
is deeply concerning that the size of the Army has fallen yet again on this
Government’s watch.

“Since
Michael Fallon became Defence Secretary in 2014, the number of fully trained
soldiers has fallen by over 7,000. That trend is simply not sustainable and it
has very real consequences for the UK’s defence capabilities.

“We
know that satisfaction with pay and service life are some of the biggest
reasons why servicemen and women are leaving the Armed Forces in their droves.

“If
the government was serious about tackling this crisis in recruitment and
retention, they would agree to lift the public sector pay cap to give our Armed
Forces the pay that they deserve.”