Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan has said the new Labour Government will tackle the crisis in Armed Forces recruitment by ending outdated and unnecessary entry requirements and improving the path into the forces for recruits.
The move will help fix the foundations of our forces and boost Britain’s security in the face of evolving, modern-day threats.
Recruitment targets were missed every year in the last 14 years under the Conservatives, allowing UK troop numbers to fall below target levels and more people to leave the forces than joining.
The measures to boost recruitment and help fix the foundations of our forces include:
- Tackling long application waiting times with a new ambition to make a conditional offer within 10 days and confirmation of a training start date within 30 days.
- Scrapping or updating over 100 outdated policies since entering government, including measures blocking some sufferers of hay fever, eczema and acne, and some injuries that have fully healed.
- Creating a new direct ‘cyber track’ to help boost Defence’s cyber resilience, with different tailored selection and basic training requirements.
It follows the new Labour government’s announcement earlier this summer of the largest pay rise for the forces in over 20 years, which will now see every level of personnel – including the youngest and most junior – receiving the National Living Wage for the very first time.
Labour’s first King’s Speech also included the creation of a new Armed Forces Commissioner to act as a strong, independent voice for personnel and help improve service life.
These new measures will help unblock the bottlenecks in armed forces recruitment which sees high-quality applicants turned away or abandoning the process due to avoidable delays.
Commenting, Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said:
“We owe so much to our brave forces community, something that is impossible to miss in Portsmouth, but under the Tories recruitment targets were missed every year.
“That’s why the new government is taking immediate action, with service men and women here in our city receiving the largest pay rise for 20 years and ending the outdated and unnecessary entry requirements and improving the path into the forces for new recruits.
“These moves will help fix the foundations of our forces and boost our security in the face of evolving, modern-day threats.”
John Healey MP, Labour’s Defence Secretary, added:
“Labour is a party with historic roots in Britain’s armed forces. We are deeply proud of those who serve our country and we are determined to tackle the crisis in recruitment and retention caused by years of Conservative hollowing-out.
“Our Armed Forces rightly set the highest standards and with Labour that will continue. At the same time, we will unblock the bottlenecks, the needless red tape and delays which are turning great talent away from our forces.
“As the world changes, and threats evolve, we also need to ensure our recruitment is right for the 21st century. That’s why we will remove unnecessary barriers and fast-track bright candidates into cyber defence to help face down Putin’s online aggression.
“Alongside the largest pay rise in 20 years for existing troops, Labour is getting on with fixing the foundations of our armed forces and supporting the brave men and women who keep Britain safe.”
