Gurkhas 'facing the axe in defence budget cuts'

Patrick Mercer, a former Army officer, said everything was “up for grabs” as the Ministry of Defence (MoD) attempted to balance the books.

He said the Gurkhas were now more expensive after winning a high-profile campaign for better rights and there had been a rise in “home-grown” recruitment.

Mr Mercer said: “I think everything at the moment is up for grabs, particularly in terms of the balance between whether we cut kit or whether we cut manpower.

“The great benefit that the Gurkhas had in the past was twofold – first that they were cheap, much cheaper than the British equivalent and secondly they were plentiful.

“Well, now they are not so cheap and now British recruiting has never been higher.”

His remarks come after it was reported that the regiment, part of the British Army for nearly 200 years, could be one of several sacrificed as a result of a Government dispute over defence funding.

Defence Secretary Liam Fox is said to be pressing the Treasury for more money for the Ministry of Defence to meet the 20bn cost of replacing the Trident nuclear deterrent.

An MoD spokesman said: “The complex process of a Strategic Defence and Security Review will be concluded in the autumn.”