Cobra meeting to discuss plans for military staff to cover striking workers

Labour and former army head warn repeated use of armed forces may lead to burnout and soldiers quitting

Plans for military staff to cover for striking workers are to be discussed at a Cobra meeting, amid warnings that over-stretched troops are being used repeatedly to bail out ministers unable to solve disputes.

With about 1,000 personnel due to miss Christmas breaks as they fill in for ambulance crews and border staff, military sources and retired senior officers warned about the potential impact on morale for troops whose real-terms pay has also declined.