What is really going on in politics? Get our daily email briefing straight to your inbox Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Hundreds of military police have been axed under Tory austerity, shock figures reveal.

A total of 460 trained officers have been cut since 2010 and even more jobs could be slashed - triggering claims the Government has a “reckless disregard” for troops’ safety.

Defence Minister Penny Mordaunt admitted the number of RAF Police alone plunged by 340 from 1,480 to just 1,140 in six years since David Cameron entered Downing Street.

The Royal Military Police has seen its numbers fall by 80 from 1,700 when the Conservatives came to power to 1,620.

And scores of Royal Navy Police have also been lost, with the force’s strength dropping from 340 to 300.

(Image: Reuters)

Overall, the number of military police plummeted by 13% from 3,520 to 3,060.

Shadow Defence Secretary Emily Thornberry, who uncovered the cuts using parliamentary questions, said: “Our military police play a very difficult but vital role within our Armed Forces.

“They investigate all military crime, they are an important presence on the streets of our garrison towns and naval ports - and, as we saw all too tragically in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Red Caps are regularly forced to put their lives on the line when operating overseas.

Read more:

“George Osborne has already cut their numbers by 13% since coming to office and, despite that, they are still not safe from more cuts in the future.

“At a time of growing concern among many service personnel – particularly women – about serious crimes like sexual assault, that refusal to rule out further military police cuts shows a reckless disregard for the safety of our Armed Forces.”

Mr Osborne caved into pressure in the run-up to November’s Autumn Statement, agreeing to protect cash for the 43 police forces funded by the Home Office.

But he refused to guarantee that British Transport Police, the Civil Nuclear Constabulary and the Ministry of Defence Police would be spared.

(Image: PA)

Ms Thornberry said: “Only three months after he promised to protect police budgets in this Parliament, we can add the military police to the list of forces that are exempt from George Osborne’s pledge - and it is the safety of our armed forces and garrison towns that will suffer.”

The three military police forces have similar powers to civilian police forces, including investigating crimes and regularly patrolling garrison towns alongside civilian police.

A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman insisted: “The Service Police continue to meet all their operational commitments.

“These personnel reductions were implemented through the SDSR 2010, when the Services assessed that military police forces would be able to continue to meet their requirements.

“This has proven to be the case.”

The threat faced by military police was underlined in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Nineteen Red Capos were killed between 2003-09, including six RMP personnel murdered in a single incident in Majar al-Kabir in June 2003.