MP says more Scottish Battalions should have been cut
Today in the House of Commons, The Rt. Hon. Philip Hammond MP, Secretary of State for Defence, made a Statement about defence cuts – detailing the 17 units of the British Army which are to be axed. This follows an earlier decision to reduce the size of the British Army from 102,000 to 82,000 troops – the aim being to rely more heavily on reserve forces in times of crisis. John is an ex-soldier having served with The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. One of the units to be cut is the Regiment’s Second Battalion [2RRF].
John said:
“The Government is making a grave mistake over its cuts. Not only does the decision to cut the Army by a fifth smack of accountants running amok, but the axing of better recruited English Battalions – including 2RRF – instead of the more poorly recruited Scottish Battalions, smacks of a grubby political fix because of the oncoming Scottish referendum.”
“If the Government cannot do the right thing within the MOD budget, then it should source funding from the ridiculous £1,200 million aid package we send to India.”
The Secretary of State said in response that recruitment by 2RRF had not been as good as John had claimed.
John said afterwards:
“Given the consistent under-recruitment of Scottish Battalions, there can be no doubting that more Scottish Battalions should have been axed. I am now comparing recruitment figures to prove our case.”
Ends
Word Count: 254
Date: 5th July 2012
Notes to Editors
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