The debate on the Defence Reform Bill extended far beyond the proposed amendments. There was much discussion about the future of the armed forces, both regular and reserve. But these digressions into strategy masked a fierce political battle, which the Defence Secretary Philip Hammond won thanks to a masterly performance at the Dispatch Box.
The Defence Reform Bill aims to increase the strength of the Army Reserve (AKA the Territorial Army) from 19,000 to 30,000 by 2018 in order to cover personnel cuts to the regular army, the strength of which is to fall to 82,000. 25 Tory MPs signed an amendment tabled by John Baron (Conservative, Basildon and Billericay). The rebels worry that missed recruitment targets and rising costs prove that the plan is in trouble. As one of them put it to Spectator Coffee House earlier today:
‘Recruiting is in chaos. CAPITA has failed in the out-sourcing and no one is joining the Reserves. [Government] needs to answer what will happen if the 30,000 reserves don’t materialise?’
John Baron has called for a legislative pause so that parliament can scrutinise the bill.
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