Survey shows 45% of public want to see increase in size of Armed Forces
The size of the UK's Armed Forces should be increased, according to 45%, or 921, of people surveyed in a new YouGov poll.
The survey – which involved 2,047 respondents – also revealed, in contrast, that one in 14 (3% or 61 people) think the UK military should be reduced in size and 5% (102 people) even say it should be disbanded.
More positively for the Armed Forces, the survey did reveal that the majority of Brits (58% or 1,187 people) are totally in favour of the UK's military.
The survey revealed that 9% (184 people) have a negative view, with 26% (532) holding neither positive nor negative opinions.
Young Britons (40% of 18 to 24-year-olds) are the least likely to have a favourable view, with one in five having a negative view (19% or 389 people), compared to 3% (61) of those aged 65 and above.
Size of the Army
The size of the British Army has been a source of political argument recently, with Labour calling for a halt to the cuts announced in the last defence command paper, published in 2021.
In the past decade, the number of regular soldiers has fallen from 97,000 to 76,000 and is set to fall to 73,000.
In June, a former head of the UK's Armed Forces, said that reducing the size of the Army "beggars belief" and the lack of "properly functioning" reserve forces is a "national embarrassment".
Lord Nick Houghton, who was Chief of the Defence Staff between 2013 and 2016, criticised the decision to cut regular troop numbers during an appearance before the House of Commons Defence Committee.
UK power diminishing?
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has defended the Government's investment in defence amid suggestions the UK could lose influence due to the size of its Army.
Mr Sunak was asked by broadcasters as he arrived in Vilnius for the Nato summit about warnings that Britain's power could be diminished if the UK's Armed Forces "gets smaller".
"I think the UK should be incredibly proud of the leading role that we play not just in Nato, but across the world in protecting security and indeed in investing in our Armed Forces," Mr Sunak said.
He added that the summit was an opportunity to highlight the "enduring unity and importance" of the "very special" military alliance "which the UK has been at the heart of for the entire time of its existence."
Sunak in May, when asked at the London Defence Conference about plans to cut the size of the regular Army to around 73,000 soldiers, said: "The Army will have a total force capacity of 100,000, split between regulars and reserves”.
In May, the head of Britain's Armed Forces told Forces News he believed that the expected cuts to the British Army should be the last.
Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin told Forces News he expects planned cuts to Army numbers to go ahead, but says he does not anticipate the Army getting smaller amidst rumours that extra cuts to force numbers on top of those announced might be on the cards.
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