They missed army recruitment targets every single year for 14 years.

The National Audit Office found the Army has missed its recruitment targets every year since the Capita Recruiting Partnering Project began (2012-13), with annual shortfalls of 21%-45%. That is essentially the whole period but the documented run of missed targets starts around 2013, not the full 14 years since 2010.

▸ National Audit Office — Investigation into the British Army's Recruiting Partnering Project

Checked Wed 1 Jul, 10:00 · Broadcast: PMQs: Prime Minister's Questions - 10 June 2026

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More fact-checks of “PMQs: Prime Minister's Questions - 10 June 2026”

True · We've already signed 1,400 major defence contracts. 94% of those, Mr. Speaker, are with British businesses.

True · They cut the army from 100,000 down to 72,000.

True · When they left office 47 out of 49 major defence contracts were delayed or over budget.

True · We've also given our armed forces the biggest pay rise in over 20 years.

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