How's that for a present! Cameron to delight soldiers and their families at Christmas by announcing plans to bring more troops home from Afghanistan



PM visits British troops in Helmand Province and praises military for 'stepping up to the plate' to protect Olympics

At least 9,000 troops will leave Afghanistan this year, he says



Sports minister Hugh Robertson hints that G4S will lose £57m management fee for failing to provide enough security guards



Shares in G4S rise by 3 per cent as bargain hunters take advantage of a £700m drop in the company's value because of the security fiasco

David Cameron vowed yesterday to announce by Christmas plans to bring more soldiers home from Afghanistan.

But a senior general warned that pulling troops out too quickly will undermine British national security.

On a surprise visit to Camp Bastion, the Prime Minister said he would press ahead with a full exit from combat operations in Helmand by the end of 2014.

Scroll down for video

Happy: David Cameron vowed yesterday to announce by Christmas plans to bring more soldiers home from Afghanistan. He is pictured with five female soldiers yesterday

He insisted that withdrawing Britain’s 9,500 soldiers within two years was ‘do-able and deliverable’.

But the top commander made clear that the Army will resist calls by some ministers to speed up the exit date.

Chancellor George Osborne and Cabinet Office Minister Oliver Letwin are pushing Mr Cameron to pull most troops out by the end of next year to save £3 billion.

The senior military source said: ‘If the Prime Minister’s aims don’t change, and that is to maintain a viable state with an ANSF [Afghan National Security Force] that can protect its borders and counter terrorism, then we need to maintain a strong presence.’

Mr Cameron said he wants a steady pullout of forces over the next two and a half years, rather than a ‘cliff edge’ reduction next year or at the end of 2014.

He added: ‘We reduced troop numbers this year and will be able to reduce numbers next year.’



Warning: A senior general warned that pulling troops out too quickly will undermine British national security

Looking forward: Mr Cameron meets British soldiers at Shawqat forward operating base in Helmand Province, Afghanistan

Mr Cameron confirmed that firm numbers would be announced by Christmas. Around 500 soldiers will leave this year.

He said that of the three areas that were now under British control in the Helmand, two were now Afghan-led.

But while the Afghan National Army is expanding rapidly, there is concern it does not have the logistical back-up to hold territory.

Mr Cameron also defended cuts to the Armed Forces, saying he could ‘look’ the military in the eye because of the £1.5billion investment in the Territorial Army.

His trip was designed to boost the morale of troops, who are reeling under the burden of cuts to manpower and the scrapping of regiments.



'Confident': The Prime Minister said he could meet his promise to bring British troops back from Afghanistan by the end of 2014

Soldiers returning from Afghanistan have also had their holidays cancelled so they can stand in at the Olympics after the failure of G4S to provide enough security.

Speaking during his trip, the prime minister vowed to 'go after' G4S for the costs of the Olympic security fiasco, which has seen the deployment of extra soldiers and police to plug gaps at Games venues.

He also saluted the military for 'stepping up to the plate' in helping deal with the shambles left by the private security firm.

It came as the Government hinted that G4S would lose its £57million management fee for overseeing the Olympic security operation.



He said: 'Let's be clear, if G4S don't fulfil their contract we will go after them for the money to make sure that they help pay for the military personnel that have been brought in.'

When it was suggested London 2012 had become the 'soggy Olympics', Mr Cameron launched an impassioned defence of what had been achieved, including delivering the park on time and on budget.



Action: Sports minister Hugh Robertson (left) said the Government would activate 'all penalty clauses' in G4S’s contract but he dismissed calls for the company's chief executive Nick Buckles (right) to resign immediately



'Let's not call this the wet and soggy Olympics, it is a great moment for our country,' he added.

'Yes, there are challenges and the military have stepped up to the plate and I salute them for it. Let's not call it a soggy Olympics, let's call it a great Olympics.



'When it comes to the Olympics we have to be ready for any contingency. We have to make sure they are safe and secure Olympics.

'I salute and applaud what the military have done to step in and I think they're doing an excellent job.

Surprise trip: Mr Cameron has a drink and a chat with British soldiers based at Lashkar Gah during a visit to the area

'If there are further steps we have to take, of course we will take them, but I think the responsibility should be for G4S to make sure that their people are there to provide enough security.

'But the Army are playing a vital role. Be in no doubt whatever it takes to provide a safe and secure Olympic Games, we will do it.'

Sports minister Hugh Robertson revealed that G4S would be hit by 'all penalty clauses' in its £284million Olympics contract because of its failure to provide enough civilian staff.

He also signalled that the company will lose its £57million management fee - a day after its chief executive, Nick Buckles, told MPs he believed it should be able to keep the money.



But Mr Robertson dismissed calls for Mr Buckles to resign immediately, saying 'stability' was needed to ensure the Olympics are safe and secure.

Under cover: The Prime Minister visits British soldiers' living quarters Return: It was the Prime Minister's first visit to Camp Bastion in 12 months after a planned trip at Christmas had to be aborted following a sand storm

Equipped: Soldiers show the Prime Minister a new Foxhound armoured vehicle at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan

During the visit, the Prime Minister met Isaf commanders and British Ambassador Sir Richard Stagg for an update on the latest security situation in Helmand Province.

He was told there has been a slight upsurge in violence after the fighting season started earlier than usual.

Mr Robertson's announcement came as shares in G4S rose by 3 per cent after bargain hunters moved in on the company, which had seen its value slump by £700million since the security scandal arose.

G4S signed a contract which promised it would provide 10,400 civilian security guards to protect the Olympics, but the process has been beset by problems and the company yesterday revised its target to only 7,000.



An extra 3,500 Armed Forces personnel and more officers from nine police forces have been deployed to fill the gaps, and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has drawn up emergency plans to commit a further 2,000 troops.

Cutting: Mr Cameron defended major reductions in troop numbers, which will see a 20 per cent reduction in the manpower of the regular Army

Mr Cameron said he was confident British troops could be withdrawn from Afghanistan in stages and deliver a safe and secure situation

Asked at a press conference what money could be recouped from G4S, Mr Robertson said: 'We are working through that at the moment.



'But all the penalty clauses that are in the contract will be activated.'



He added: 'What happens to Mr Buckles is a matter for others in a post-Games environment.'



Asked whether Mr Buckles should resign, Mr Robertson told the press conference in Westminster: 'The important thing is that we deliver a safe and secure Games, and G4S remain a key partner in that, so I want stability at that firm, and delivery.



Mr Cameron is met by Lieutenant General Adrian Bradshaw Deputy Commander, of Isaaf forces in Afghanistan

'I don’t want resignations causing chaos. What happens to Mr Buckles afterwards is a matter for others in the post-Games environment.

'What is crucial now is that he and his organisation concentrate absolutely on delivering a safe and secure Olympics.



'I have confidence in their ability to do so.'



Asked whether Mr Buckles should resign, Home Secretary Theresa May said: 'The personnel of G4S is a matter for G4S.'

Speaking following a visit to Merseyside Police, Mrs May said: 'What I know is that the Government needs to work with G4S and continue to work with them because they will still be providing a significant number of personnel, of guard security people, at the venues for the Olympics and, in due course, for the Paralympics.'

Asked whether G4S had been given a deadline to tell organisers exactly how many people they will be supplying, Mrs May said: 'We've been working with G4S obviously since this problem first arose and talking with them about how we can ensure that they can provide the number of personnel that we still need them to provide.

'We continue to work with them on that on a day-by-day basis and ensuring that people are trained and accredited to do the job that we want them to which is actually providing that venue security at the Olympics.'

The Home Secretary added: 'We have called forward the extra military contingency of 3,500, as I announced last week to the House of Commons.

'It was always the case that the military were going to play a part in venue security. We increased the number of military personnel who were required towards the end of last year up to 7,500.

'We've now added this contingency of 3,500. So those military personnel will be working on the venue security.'



Giving evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee yesterday, Mr Buckles agreed that his company's performance had been a 'humiliating shambles'.



But MPs accused of 'making it up as he went along' as he refused to back down on his claim that the private firm deserved to be paid its management fee for overseeing the fiasco.



Mr Buckles was forced to promise that police and the military would be reimbursed for providing thousands of troops and officers to plug the yawning security gap.



Filling in: Members of the Armed Forces are shown around the site of the Olympic Park. More service personnel had to be drafted in after G4S failed to provide enough security guards

During 90 minutes of often excruciating evidence before the Home Affairs select committee, the G4S boss said the cost of accommodation for servicemen would also be covered and bonuses would be paid to military personnel if deemed appropriate.



The MoD said that contingency plans are in place to provide more troops if needed, but added that no request has yet been received.

But there were reports that a decision will be taken tomorrow on whether to put 2,000 personnel 'on notice to move', which would mean that they would act as a reserve force throughout the Olympics period and would not be available for other tasks.



Sky News quoted an unnamed Home Office source as saying: 'The decision to put another 2,000 military personnel on notice to move will be taken tomorrow.



'This comes after very intrusive examination of G4S management and while we are confident that the recruitment targets will be met, it is prudent to make contingency plans of this kind.



'If this decision is taken, it will mean that the personnel will be told to be ready to move, but will not be moved.'

Security: Armed police patrol the athletes' village on the Olympic Park

A Home Office spokesman said: 'We have not asked the military to deploy any more military personnel beyond the 3,500 already agreed.



'We are constantly reviewing the extent of the G4S shortfall and if it becomes necessary to increase the size of the military contingent, then this is something we will consider.



'There are currently 11,000 military personnel assigned to venue security, alongside G4S staff and accredited volunteers.



'The Government has committed £553 million for venue security and we remain confident that we will deliver a safe and secure Olympics within that budget.'



An MoD spokesman said: 'As the Defence Secretary made clear at the weekend, should there be a requirement for additional military personnel the MoD will do whatever possible to make them available.



'At the present time no further requests have been received but, as people would expect, an ongoing programme of prudent planning continues.'