Army Boxer could be 'stranded in full view of the enemy' after £2billion cut to fill defence black hole

Army vehicles could be 'stranded in full view of the enemy' after £2billion cut to fill defence black hole 'It will be a near-impossible task to deploy any Boxer regiment operationally' Shadow Defence Procurement Minister Ben Obese-Jecty warned Sign up to the News Newsletter Email address Sign up I agree to receive updates and information about my account, the GB News Community, and related products and services from GB News. By signing up you agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy and Community Rules. Thank you for signing up! See the latest from GB News here . Choose GB News on Google - add us as a preferred source Choose GB News Support GB News Champion free speech and independent journalism while unlocking exclusive benefits. Support us Army vehicles could be left "stranded in full view of the enemy" after Labour cut £2billion from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) budget. Earlier this year, the 100th Boxer - an armoured fighting vehicle - was delivered to the MoD. But now, in an effort to fill a £4.7billion defence black hole, the Government has scrapped plans to develop three new battlefield vehicles, including one capable of recovering the Boxer. Wes Streeting, the Defence Secretary, has been warned that dropping the plans would put the crucial army equipment - worth around £8.3million - at risk. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Ben Obese-Jecty, a retired soldier and the Shadow Defence Procurement Minister told The Telegraph: "With no repair and recovery assets to support Boxer in the field, it will be a near-impossible task to deploy any Boxer regiment operationally. "We quite literally risk the vehicles becoming stranded in full view of the enemy if they break down or are damaged." The Army is expected to receive more than 600 of the modular Boxers in total, with infantry carrier, command platforms, specialist carriers and ambulances ordered. The full slate of already committed vehicles, not expected to be delivered until at least 2031, will be delivered in full and the allocated budget over the next four years unchanged, an MoD spokesman said. James Cartlidge, pictured here in a Boxer, said Labour was 'unable and unwilling to cut welfare to fund defence' | PA The Government is said to now be looking to procure a heavy-wheeled recovery vehicle to aid in the recovery of Boxers. Last week, Luke Pollard confirmed by written response to MPs the Government was "no longer" pursuing three vehicle models in the MoD's mechanised vehicle programme. The Army was now "considering how the underlying capability requirements will be addressed", he added. The repair vehicles, operated by remote control or by a driver inside, would have been equipped with cranes and winches and used for "complex recovery missions". LATEST DEFENCE NEWS: 'Too little, too late!' Camilla Tominey challenges Labour MP over party's defence spending silence Camilla Tominey haunts Wes Streeting with previous 'vow to quit' if Labour miss defence targets Britain's new fighter jets could face YEARS of delays if Germany joins defence programme Wes Streeting admitted the armed forces needed to 'live within their means' | REUTERS James Cartlidge, the Shadow Defence Secretary, told the newspaper: "They talk about increasing defence spending but then gut current procurement programmes to save cash. "All because they are unable and unwilling to cut welfare to fund defence." The overall budget for the armed vehicle programme has been slashed from more than £7billion to just over £5billion as a result of "funding removal following Army re-prioritisation". Mr Cartlidge said the cuts proved Labour's "rhetoric on defence is far removed from reality". Ben Obese-Jecty, Shadow Defence Procurement Minister, said it would be a 'near-impossible task to deploy any Boxer regiment operationally' | HOUSE OF COMMONS He added: "Only last week, the Defence Secretary told the defence select committee that his current funding 'doesn't stop us doing things now' and yet the very next day one of his junior ministers admits they are cutting significant capabilities." On Monday, Mr Streeting admitted the armed forces needed to "live within their means", adding that there would be a "reprioritisation" around training. An Mod spokesman said: "There are no changes to our committed £2.2billion budget over the next four years for the delivery of our 623 Boxer vehicles, which includes support vehicles. "These changes relate to future spend that was uncommitted and we are exploring alternative options for maximum battlefield effectiveness." 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