THE UK’s top military units have failed to reach their recruitment targets under the Tories, stats show.
The Royal Marines, the Paras and the Intelligence Corps have all endured plummeting applications.
This is despite being feeders for the UK Special Forces.
The Marines have failed to hit recruitment targets since 2016 and are expected to miss it again this year.
Last year saw a 28 per cent nosedive for the green berets.
The trend is mirrored in the Paras and Intelligence Corps, where applications are reported to be down by 50 per cent and 69 per cent respectively over the past five years.
The Paras supply half of the Special Air Service, while the Royal Marines are the backbone of the Special Boat Service.
Labour, who compiled the data, last night accused the Tories of having failed to “fix their crisis in Armed Forces recruitment”.
Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey, writing in The Sun, said: “Recruitment targets are missed every year.
“Morale is at record lows.”
A Tory spokesman said: “Uncertain times call for a clear plan and bold action to chart a course to a secure future.
“Only the Conservatives offer that.
“Labour have refused to back our 2.5 per cent defence spending commitment.”
