COLCHESTER MP Sir Bob Russell has called on the Prime Minister to stop getting rid of Armed Forces members.

Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions today, Lib Dem Sir Bob said: “Britain’s armed forces are the best.

“They defend our interests at home and overseas and, as we are witnessing, are taking essential action in flooded areas.

“Prime Minister, please recognise the folly of reducing the size of Her Majesty’s armed forces and stop sacking full-time servicemen and women.”

Armed Forces personnel are due to drop to 82,000 by 2018.

Prime Minister David Cameron admitted cutting the forces by £38billion has led to “difficult decisions”.

He added: “We now have one of the top five defence budgets in the world, in terms of spending.

“We are coming to the end of all the redundancy schemes, and we can now point loudly and proudly to the extraordinary investment that we shall be making in type 45 destroyers, new aircraft carriers, our hunter-killer submarines and our A400M aircraft - the best equipment that any armed forces could have anywhere in the world.”

Speaking after, Sir Bob added: “Mr Cameron did not really address what I said.

“But he did give a good overall commentary on the UK’s current Defence capabilities and into the future.”