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The Army’s strength could plummet to just 65,000 within five years if current rates of decline continue, Labour warns tonight.

The chronic retention and recruitment crisis gripping the Forces could see the military’s manpower to fall to levels not seen for 350 years, the party claims.

The estimated strength of full-time, trade-trained personnel in each branch of the Armed Forces in October 2024 could be as low as 64,900 in the Army, 28,600 in the Royal Navy, and 28,400 in the RAF, according to Labour.

The Government set 2020 target strengths for full-time, trade-trained personnel as 82,000 in the Army, 30,450 in the Royal Navy and 31,750 in the RAF.

(Image: Getty Images)

The latest figures from the Government fall well below these targets.

Shadow Defence Secretary Nia Griffith said: “It is clear that you cannot trust the Tories with our country’s defences.

"Year after year they have run down our Armed Forces, with personnel numbers well below the government’s own targets.

“Ministers are either in complete denial about this crisis in recruitment and retention, or they are actively in favour of cutting the Armed Forces to these historically low levels.

(Image: PA)

“The next Labour government will rebuild the UK’s defences and deliver real change for our Armed Forces, ending the outsourcing of recruitment and guaranteeing better pay and conditions for our brave Armed Forces personnel.”

The most recent statistics published by the Ministry of Defence showed the Army had 71,209 full-time, trade-trained personnel; the Royal Navy 28,713 and the RAF 29,929.

Labour cited figures showing that over the last four quarters - October 2018 to July 2019 - the average percentage decline in the strength of full-time, trade-trained personnel was 0.8% for the Army, 0.1% for the Royal Navy and 0.3% for the RAF.

It said that Britain’s first regular army - Oliver Cromwell’s New Model Army, founded in 1644 - grew from 44,000 to 68,000.

(Image: Getty)

The Mirror told this year how a £495million privatisation deal for Army recruitment signed in 2012 with outsourcing giant Capita - dubbed “Cra*ita” at the Commons Defence Committee - fuelled a troop shortfall.

MPs issued a damning verdict on the contract in March, saying it “failed dismally” to meet targets.

Experts and retired top brass have also blamed manpower shortages for the failure to send more Navy warships to see.

But Defence Secretary Ben Wallace hit back at Labour's forecasts saying: “These are made up numbers from a party whose leader wants to scrap our nuclear deterrent, cut the defence budget and who once suggested abolishing our Army.

(Image: Reuters)

“Their numbers are as believable as their commitment to defence.

“After the chaos of two referendums, one on Brexit and one on Scottish independence, Jeremy Corbyn’s economy wrecking plans would hit our Armed Forces, leaving them without the resources and support they need.

“Only Boris Johnson and the Conservatives will get Brexit done and keep our economy strong with a rising defence budget so we can support our Armed Forces and ensure they have the resources to keep our nation safe.”

A Capita spokesman said: “We re-set the army recruitment partnership in the first half of last year.

"There has since been a major turnaround in the performance, with record numbers of applications, the quickest time ever that a candidate has received an offer of basic training, and regular full intakes of soldiers.”