Leaked documents from the Ministry of Defence have shown that the expected sweeping cuts in manpower and equipment in the Army will have a "highly damaging impact" on UK defences.

The cuts, expected to be in the region of £1.2 billion, have been pushed through by the Treasury because of the rising cost of the Navy's two new aircraft carriers, which currently stands at £8 billion.

According to the leaked papers, the army has been told to identify targets for cutbacks but not to put anything in writing until after the election so that Labour can stick to its pledge that there would be no cuts on top of the 1998 strategic defence review.

Soldiers' lives will be put at even greater risk by the effects of the cuts, the reports warn.

The Tories have called the spending cutbacks "deep and vicious" whilst the Ministry of Defence refused to comment on the reports, saying only that they were "not in the business of taking risks with our people".