Politics · United Kingdom · 5 hrs ago
Angus MacIntyre leaves military after 40 years to join Reform UK
Angus MacIntyre left the British military after 40 years to join Reform UK as its first Armed Forces spokesman.
The former Wing Commander served in places including Sierra Leone, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland.
He said successive governments have underfunded and undervalued the Armed Forces, leaving personnel without the equipment and resources they need.
MacIntyre said the combined strength of the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force has fallen from 330,000 personnel in 1986 to 148,000 today.
He also criticised defence procurement, saying projects are often delayed, over budget or fail to deliver promised equipment.
He wants better support and equipment for service personnel, but no further plans are set out in the available text.
Angus MacIntyre has left the British Armed Forces after a 40-year career to join Reform UK as its first Armed Forces spokesman.
He said he left because he believes successive governments have failed to provide the military with adequate equipment, funding and resources.
MacIntyre said he had seen the decline in defence from inside the Ministry of Defence over the past five years.
He said the UK has 148,000 personnel across the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, compared with 330,000 when he joined in 1986.
He also criticised defence procurement, citing delays, cost overruns and lengthy decision-making.
- Who
- Angus MacIntyre, a former Wing Commander in the British Armed Forces.
- What
- He left the military after 40 years to become Reform UK's first Armed Forces spokesman.
- When
- The article was published on 5 November 2026. The date he left the military is not stated.
- Where
- Not stated.
- Why
- He said the Armed Forces are undervalued and lack the equipment, funding and resources they need.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
MacIntyre said he joined the Armed Forces at age 18, when they had 330,000 service personnel.
The Berlin Wall fell; MacIntyre said defence spending had dwindled since then.
MacIntyre said he watched the decline from inside the Ministry of Defence.
The Daily Mail published MacIntyre's account of leaving the military to join Reform UK.
- Military career
- 40 years
- New role
- Reform UK's first Armed Forces spokesman
- Personnel in 1986
- 330,000
- Current combined service personnel
- 148,000
- Defence spending
- £60 billion
- Welfare spending
- £330 billion
1 source
What people are saying
I can no longer stand by and see service personnel being expected to operate in increasingly demanding and dangerous circumstances, often separated from their families for long periods and putting their lives on the line, while time and again being left feeling undervalued, under-resourced and forgotten.
Serving in the British Armed Forces has been the single greatest honour of my life.
Equipment for Ukraine can be sourced, tested and delivered in less than eight weeks.