The Chief of the Defence Staff has said the military is “busy” and should not be treated as “spare capacity” as ministers prepare to deploy 1,200 troops to cover for striking public sector staff this winter. The armed forces need to focus on their “primary role”, and it would be “slightly perilous” to treat them as the “ultimate backstop” for incidents such as major industrial action, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin insisted.
But he declined to be drawn on “political debates”, as he stressed the military are directed by the Government and “serve the nation”. It comes as unions have lashed out at plans for the armed forces to cover for striking ambulance drivers and border staff in the run up to Christmas, claiming the military are not “sufficiently trained” to plug staffing gaps on the front line.
Arrangements have been made for 1,200 troops from the Army, Navy and RAF to help mitigate disruption from widespread walkouts over the festive period, with more than 1,000 civil servants also drafted in to lend a hand. While he made clear the military can take the extra responsibility “in our stride”, Sir Tony said viewing the forces as “the go-to” would be “an unusual position for us to arrive at”.
