‘Thousands of troops are on standby for any UK attack’

Prime Minister David Cameron makes a statement to MPs in the House of Commons, London where he announced his government's Strategic Defence and Security Review. Pic:: PA Wire

The Prime Minister told MPs his contingency plan for up to 10,000 troops to be on standby will end the “artificial divide” between police and the military.

He added the military personnel will not take over from the police but will be at their disposal for various roles, including providing security cordons.

Speaking in the Commons, Labour’s Gisela Stuart, a member of the Intelligence and Security Committee, welcomed the plan and questioned how long it will take to train the troops. The MP for Birmingham Edgbaston also asked if this will prompt the PM to revise his plans to cut police numbers, adding: “One without the other is nonsense.”

Mr Cameron replied: “The thinking here is that just as in France it was necessary to surge the number of uniformed personnel onto the streets to sometimes provide a security cordon or keep people safe, we should get rid of the divide that there’s been for many years about the deployment of military personnel on the streets of Britain.

“So you ask when these people will be trained, the first 5,000 are already to fulfil that function should it be necessary and we will get to that figure of 10,000 as I announced.

“In terms of the role they play, this is not about supplanting or taking over from the police, it’s being there at the disposal of the police - perhaps to provide a security cordon or particular amounts of safety.

“As I say, in the past we had rather an artificial divide between these two functions and I think it’s time to get rid of it.”

The Commons discussions came as French president Francois Hollande welcomed Britain’s support. Mr Hollande, whose country is already involved in air strikes against IS in Syria, said it was essential to strike the group in its heartland. “France has taken the decision last September. It is up to the United Kingdom how it can commit and operate,” he said.

“We will intensify our strikes, we will choose the targets that yield the best possible damage against the terrorist army.”

In London, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon reaffirmed that ministers would only go to the Commons for a vote on airstrikes once they were sure there was a majority in favour of military action.