Military in thankless task as soldiers drafted in to replace striking workers

Army's role risks being politicised as personnel called on to cover for Border Force and ambulance workers

A winter of discontent is upon us and it falls to the military to bail the government out. Six hundred soldiers are getting a week's training to be ready to cover for striking Border Force staff at ports and airports over the Christmas period. A few hundred more are expected to be called on to help cover during the 21 December ambulance workers strike.

Of course, the military exists to act in last resort: their help was necessary and vital during the Covid crisis or where there is flooding or another civil emergency. Sometimes it is only the armed forces that have the personnel and knowhow to assist in a crisis. However, this winter, it is hard to escape the feeling that soldiers are at risk of being politicised for little gain to themselves.