The Prime Minister made a statement to the House of Commons on Monday about National Security and Defence. You can read the full statement here. Following the statement, MPs asked questions of the Prime Minister and Sir Edward Garnier, the MP for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston, asked the following question about increasing the size of the Army.
Sir Edward Garnier (Harborough) (Con): May I, as others have done, warmly congratulate the Prime Minister and his Defence Ministers since 2010 on turning round the economy of the Ministry of Defence and its procurement regime, and thank him for committing to the 2% NATO expenditure target? Beyond that, I urge him to consider finding the additional two brigades not from existing troops with new insignia but by increasing the size of the Army from 82,000 to 102,000.
The Prime Minister: An ingenious idea was tucked away at the end of that question, but I think that we are capable of delivering these new strike brigades within the level of 82,000. As I said, we are seeing a small increase in the RAF and in the Navy. What is important is that we make sure we get everything out of the resources that we put in, and that is what this review is about.
Sir Edward said, following the statement: “It is disappointing that the Prime Minister was not able to commit to increasing the size of the Army but at least there is going to be some progress if the vote for strikes in Syria produces a favourable outcome, unlike in 2013. The nation is in a precarious place and we need to do all we can to defeat the enemy both at home and abroad.”