Britain must give its military better pay or risk 'failing' its troops during the cost of living crisis, Labour MP Stephen Morgan demands

Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan blasted the government during a parliamentary debate.

Mr Morgan, Labour’s former shadow armed forces minister, grilled Conservative defence minister Leo Docherty on what more is being done to improve pay among the nation’s troops.

Mr Docherty said armed forces personnel ‘like everyone else, are not immune to the international inflationary pressures and cost of living pressures’.

But the veterans minister insisted the government was supporting the nation’s troops, with defence secretary Ben Wallace having this week unveiled plans to freeze the daily food charge for troops, limiting increases to accommodations charges to one per cent and increasing the availability of free childcare.

However, Mr Morgan, feared this did not go far enough.

Speaking in Parliament, the city MP said: ‘The government are failing our frontline forces during a cost of living crisis.

‘According to data from the minister’s own department, the percentage of personnel who believe that their pay and benefits are fair has fallen for the first time in four years, with four in 10 servicemen and servicewomen unhappy with their pay and benefits.

‘What success has the minister had with the chancellor in securing the pay rise our troops need and deserve?’Responding, Mr Docherty said military personnel were ‘content with their pay and conditions’.

‘They are also content because of the remarkable job security they have in the armed forces, the subsidised accommodation, and the remarkable and unique non-contributory pension,’ he added. ‘That is all thanks to the £24bn uplift made available by the prime minister and the defence secretary.’