Thousands of soldiers are working more than 70 hours a week sparking ‘morale’ fears

TROOPS are being run ragged as the amount working excessive hours has soared, Labour say. 

Five per cent of Army soldiers toiled for more than 70 hours a week last year, up from 2 per cent in 2020. 

It means despite the Ministry of Defence’s desire for forces to work a normal 8.30am to 5pm day, around 4,000 worked beyond that.

And a whopping 21 per cent of Navy personnel said they worked longer than a 70-hour week up from 14 per cent last year.

The extrapolated figures from a forces survey means around 6,249 sailors were on duty for well beyond what was expected. 

Labour warns the gruelling hours are denting troop morale and points to satisfaction in the forces falling to 52 per cent.

Shadow Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard told the Sun: “Our forces are trained to fight and win, but excessive hours damage morale and can impact on recruitment and retention. 

“Ministers should carefully examine the impact their failures are having on working conditions for those serving our country.” 

The MoD says troops get generous perks like extended leave and bonuses for working long hours.

A spokesperson said: “While the military work incredibly hard for short periods while deployed, they are compensated with very generous annual leave and higher levels of pay to reflect the unique circumstances and working patterns required to keep the nation safe.”