More women leave military than join for first time since 2017, latest data reveals

More women left the UK Armed Forces than joined in the year to September 2022, new data has revealed.

Ministry of Defence (MOD) figures show that 1,420 signed up whilst 1,530 left the services – it’s the first time since 2017 that fewer have joined.

Despite this, the data still showed that female representation slightly increased to 44.9% as a proportion of the total in October 2022, from 44.3% a year earlier.

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Ministers have said they want women to make up 30% of the total intake to the military by 2030, however, on the current trajectory, Labour says this wouldn't be achieved until 2074.

The party has called for an overhaul of culture and standards in the Armed Forces.

Shadow defence secretary John Healey called the figures "an indictment of the Conservatives' treatment of women in our Armed Forces" and said "many are now voting with their feet".

Lord Dannatt, former head of the Army, told the Telegraph the figures were "not a good look at a time the military says it wishes to increase diversity".