The row about the resourcing and direction of the War in Afghanistan rumbles on, with allegations that defence ministers have been briefing against the head of the Army, and counter claims that the PM Gordon Brown has withheld both equipment (mainly Helicopters and Armoured Personnel Carriers) and troops (specifically 6,500 extra infantry).
Of course there is certain amount of politics involved in all of this, and it should be said that the Prime Minister has denied all the allegations. But it's a fact if we were asked to fight a war with Social workers, National Health Service middle managers, or any others of the public servants that the New Labour Government has added to the public payroll, then we could provide legions to fight in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In the UK, approx 5.8 million work in the public sector, and the civil service has about 10% of that total at 525,000 workers. This graph illustrates the attempts by Conservative governments to decrease the numbers that the previous Labour governments had taken it to, with a peak of 750,00 in the mid 1970's, and a low of 455,000 in 1996 and the start of the rise again in 1997 back up to 525,000.
In all Gordon Brown has overseen an increase of around 75,000 in civil servants numbers ..... whereas the UK Regular Army Infantry strength is only 24,080, and has dropped since 2001 (25,690).
It's fairly obvious where Mr Browns priorities have been for the last decade, and the fact that he has not increased the Army strength, particularly in infantry over the past decade that he has been sending boys to war, is something he has to live with on his conscience.
Of course there is certain amount of politics involved in all of this, and it should be said that the Prime Minister has denied all the allegations. But it's a fact if we were asked to fight a war with Social workers, National Health Service middle managers, or any others of the public servants that the New Labour Government has added to the public payroll, then we could provide legions to fight in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In the UK, approx 5.8 million work in the public sector, and the civil service has about 10% of that total at 525,000 workers. This graph illustrates the attempts by Conservative governments to decrease the numbers that the previous Labour governments had taken it to, with a peak of 750,00 in the mid 1970's, and a low of 455,000 in 1996 and the start of the rise again in 1997 back up to 525,000.
In all Gordon Brown has overseen an increase of around 75,000 in civil servants numbers ..... whereas the UK Regular Army Infantry strength is only 24,080, and has dropped since 2001 (25,690).
It's fairly obvious where Mr Browns priorities have been for the last decade, and the fact that he has not increased the Army strength, particularly in infantry over the past decade that he has been sending boys to war, is something he has to live with on his conscience.
Recently reported in the Scotland on Sunday was a 360% increase in recruitment to the Scottish Regiment. Mostly from inner city areas. No chance of a job, take your homicidal ned-ness and join the army!
ReplyDeleteWell according to reports, the US army has just increased its strength by 22,000 and I suspect its from much the same sort of socail background.
ReplyDeleteRecessions make for desperate people.