Grahame Morris MP condemned cuts to the armed forces in the Opposition Day debate on the strength of the UK’s armed forces.

Since 2010, the Conservatives have overseen a reduction in the strength of our armed forces fall by a quarter, with 40,000 fewer full-time troops now compared to ten years ago.

In 2015, Ministers promised the strength of the Army would not fall below 82,000.

We will never meet this target with the Army’s current strength standing at 76,350 soldiers.

He paid tribute to the role of the armed forces during the pandemic: “we have seen our military in action over the last year during Covid, from reinforcing frontline services to building hospitals, distributing vital equipment and running testing sites.

Military aid to the civilian powers is an under-appreciated element of our Armed Forces, and we must thank them for their work in what has been a difficult year.”

He said, “Every pound lost in vanity projects or profits squeezed out of a failing contract means fewer soldiers, poorer equipment and less opportunities for people to make a career in the services.”

A trustee of the newly-formed East Durham Veterans Trust, the Easington MP said, “I agree with former Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir Nicholas Houghton, who said: “I would argue most strongly that it is our people that give the UK’s Armed Forces our qualitative edge.”