BAFF

The most junior ranks of the armed forces should get a £6,000 pay rise to help boost morale, the Liberal Democrats have said

Update: BAFF's Douglas Young discussed this on the Victoria Derbyshire programme on Radio 5Live, 2 September.

Other privates and lance corporals should also get an average salary increase of at least £3,000, with an extra £1,000 for higher non-commissioned officer ranks, the party said.

Leader Nick Clegg said the measures would increase the "shameful" salary of the current lowest-paid recruits to £22,680, and put them on an equal footing with new police and firefighter starters.

"Nobody can put a price on the sacrifices our troops make on our behalf, but it is clear to everyone that pay levels are shamefully low for the lower ranks," he said. "We can't continue to reward the bravery of lions with peanuts. The Liberal Democrats will ensure that no soldier, sailor or airman goes into harm's way on less basic pay than a new recruit to the police or fire service."

The rises would see the average basic pay across the ranks of private and lance corporal rise to around £25,000. Mr Clegg said the move would cost between £300 and £400 million and should be funded from existing the Ministry of Defence budget by slashing the number of "desk jobs" by 10,000.

• Liberal Democrats - Nick Clegg launches ‘Don’t Short Change Our Troops: Fair Pay for Our Armed Forces’
• Labour Party - Defence - Protecting Britain, Promoting Peace
• Conservative Party - Where we stand - Defence
• Armed Forces' Pay Review Body (AFPRB)