22.01.13
5,000 army jobs losses expected
The Ministry of Defence is to unveil the third round of Army job cuts today – with around 5,000 job losses expected. The Government is aiming to reduce army numbers from 102,000 to 82,000 by 2017.
The Navy and RAF are to cut 5,000 jobs each, the Army 7,000 and around 25,000 civilian staff facing redundancy, under the Strategic Defence and Security Review.
The first wave of cuts saw over 2,800 personnel selected for redundancy and around 4,000 in the second round. In each case, almost two thirds selected have volunteered to leave the armed forces.
The shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy told BBC Radio 5 live: “There are real worries about the military impact of a loss of skills and capability at a time of increased threats and new global challenges. Military planning advice must take precedence over ministers' political presentation concerns.
“The majority of those who've been made redundant in the first two rounds have been volunteers. But the longer the process, the more brutal it becomes – with a higher proportion this time expected to be forced to leave.”
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