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recruitment by ending outdated and unnecessary entry requirements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 new recruits. The move
will help fix the foundations of our forces and boost Britain's
security in the face of evolving, modern-day threats.
Labour has pledged to address the dire Tory inheritance on armed
forces recruitment and retention. 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 that joining.
In his speech to Labour Party Conference on Monday, Labour's
Defence Secretary, will
pledge to improve the pipeline of new recruits and take on
growing cyber threats, ensuring Britain is secure at home and
strong abroad.
Healey will announce plans to dramatically speed up offers to
applicants, create a new 'cyber track' to boost UK Defence's
cyber resilience, and reduce barriers for applicants - having
already scrapped over 100 outdated recruitment policies since
taking office in July.
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.
Healey will say that we are proud of our high standards in the UK
Armed Forces and these will always be maintained and protected,
but will argue that we are too often missing out on some of the
‘brightest and the best' from joining the forces due to
recruitment red tape, outdated policies not fit for increasing
threats, and applications which can sit unresolved for months.
Speaking in Liverpool, will argue
for reforming recruitment for 21st Century
challenges, including growing cyber threats. He will confirm a
new recruitment pathway for cyber defence to ensure Britain is
better defended from growing Russian online aggression.
It comes after the UK National Cyber Security Centre revealed
this month that the digital threat from Putin, exposing a
secretive Russian GRU military unit for a campaign of malicious
offensive cyber operations across the globe.
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- Scrapping or updating over 100 outdated policies since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.
MP,
Labour's Defence Secretary, said:
“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.”
Ends
Notes:
- Thousands more people left the armed forces than joined last
year, according to statistics from the Ministry of
Defence. More than 15,700 people left the armed forces in
the year to 1 July 2024, whilst just 11,938 joined.
- The size of the army has dropped below 72,000 - now at its
smallest size since the Napoleonic era. Since 2012, the
number of Full Time Trade-Trained Strength soldiers in the
British Army has fallen by 27 per cent.
