Covering strikes will place 'huge burden' on military, MP says
The Chair of the Defence Select Committee has said relying on the Armed Forces to fill the gaps left by strikes would place a "huge burden" on the military.
Tobias Ellwood told BBC Newsnight: "There's clear appreciation for the work our public sector carries out, not least the NHS, but unions that are representing rail, bus, highways, Border Force, teachers, nurses, ambulances, even baggage handlers at Heathrow, are all, coincidentally, choosing to strike at exactly the same time.
"This is unprecedented and, from my perspective, will place a huge burden on our Armed Forces that we then normally lean on to step in."
Asked about potential new laws to clamp down on strikes, the Defence Committee chairman said: "I don't think anybody wants to pick a fight with the unions.
"It is the scale of strike that is taking place with, what, eight or nine different sectors of the public sector all choosing to actually strike at exactly the same time."
It comes after defence minister Dr Andrew Murrison told Forces News he "sincerely hopes" Christmas leave will not be cancelled for members of the Armed Forces to cover strikes.
In response to a question asking whether some military personnel could be made to give up Christmas leave to backfill a wave of industrial action across the public sector, he said "I sincerely hope not" but warned: "It would be wrong of me to rule anything out, obviously."
Dr Murrison added: "But I hope that the strike action isn't as damaging as has been feared and that people won't be inconvenienced – and worse – as a result of that action."
He also denied there is any friction between senior officials in the Armed Forces and the Government over reports troops have been told to give up their Christmas to cover striking workers.
Related topics
Join Our Newsletter
