The dire findings will rock Downing Street as they are a far cry from a decade ago, when the Tories enjoyed double-digit leads over Labour in polls on the issue.
Seven in ten say defence stance could sway which way they vote in electionVoters no longer view the Tories as the party of defence, a damning poll reveals.
It comes amid the Government's refusal to say when it will hike defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP. At present, it is spending around 2.3 per cent and says it will be increased only 'as soon as economic conditions allow'.More people now associate the Tories with cutting defence spending rather than increasing it after years of the military being 'hollowed out'
The survey found that while most say they are proud of the Armed Forces, they believe they are too weak to fight a major war. A majority also say 'too little' is being spent on defence, 'too few' personnel have been recruited in recent years and they would back a boost for defence spending over tax cuts.
Former Armed Forces minister Mark Francois said the poll results were 'truly shocking', adding: 'When Margaret Thatcher roundly defeated first Michael Foot and then Neil Kinnock in the 1980s, strong defence was a fundamental part of the Conservative brand. The Mail can also reveal that, before this month's Budget, the Treasury offered Defence Secretary Grant Shapps a 'journey' to 2.5 per cent, but it would take up to ten years
Advertisement The poll for the Mail, by Redfield and Wilton Strategies, found that 28 per cent of voters associate the Tories with slashing defence spending, compared to the 26 per cent who associate them with increasing it. Asked which party they trusted more on national security and defence, 34 per cent said Labour, compared with 23 per cent for the Tories.The Mail poll also suggests there is considerable support for boosting defence spending.
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