Military families are being failed by the UK Government in the cost of living crisis, Labour has claimed.
Shadow defence secretary, John Healey, said the Ministry of Defence was doing “too little” to help and that forces families were being left behind as prices soar.
Speaking as he campaigned in Dunfermline, Fife, with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, Healey said those serving in the armed forces had seen their pay fall over the last ten years
He said: “Ministers are failing Armed Forces families.”
“Everyone’s bills are going up and the UK Government is doing too little to help, so forces families are falling behind."
Healey added: “The Office for Budget Responsibility has said that we are set to see the biggest drop to household incomes on record this year.
“Unfortunately, Forces families across the country will be faced with tough financial decisions.”
Healey hit out at the situation as he met veterans during a council elections campaign visit with Sarwar.
He continued: “Despite this, ministers plan a real-terms cut in day-to-day Ministry of Defence spending over the next three years. This means less money for forces recruitment, training, pay and families.
“No other Whitehall department has a real cut in revenue spending, and the Defence Secretary should never have agreed to it.”
Sarwar said that Labour’s local election campaign leading up to May 5 would be focused on the cost of living crisis.
He said: “Every single Scot is living through the cost of living crisis and yet neither of Scotland’s Governments are doing anywhere near enough to help.”
“The reality is that, after 15 years in power, all the SNP are willing to do is give families a pathetic £4 a week. Meanwhile, the Tories are putting up taxes in Westminster.”
“Scottish Labour are the only party with a proper plan to tackle the cost of living, by rolling out a one-off windfall tax on gas companies and reducing the costs of everyday living. Scotland needs action and it needs it now.”
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