Clegg pushes army pay agenda
By Ian Dunt
Nick Clegg has published proposals to improve army pay, in a coordinated media attack which saw him branding current pay levels “a national disgrace”.
The Liberal Democrat leader wants the pay of the lowest paid troops raised by £6,000 a year so that no service personnel in the army, navy or RAF would receive less basic annual pay than a new-entrant police constable or development-level firefighter.
“Nobody can put a price on the sacrifices our brave service men and women make on our behalf,” he said.
“But it is painfully clear that pay levels are a national disgrace. Those who are prepared to die for this country deserve to be treated better.
“It is simply unacceptable that we have reached the point where we hear of some forces families having to rely on handouts. Widespread dissatisfaction over pay among the lower ranks has had a dreadful impact on morale.”
Under the Lib Dem plans the lowest paid personnel would receive a £22,680 salary.
Privates and lance corporals would receive an average annual pay increase of over £3,000, with the average annual basic pay across these two ranks rising to around £25,000.
The changes would be funded within the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) existing budget.
“This can be afforded with only a fraction of the sum wasted by the MoD on bloated bureaucracy, bungled procurement projects and an outdated Cold War missile defence system,” Mr Clegg said.
A MoD spokesperson said: “Armed forces pay is recommended by the independent Armed Forces Pay Review Body (AFPRB).
“In February the AFPRB recommendations were accepted in full by the MoD to give all serving personnel a pay increase of 2.8 per cent, the third year running that armed forces pay increases have been amongst the best in the public sector.
“On top of basic pay, personnel deployed in Afghanistan for a six month tour receive a tax free operational allowance worth an additional £2,380 and a longer separation allowance worth at least £1,194.”
