TORY ministers reportedly drawing up plans for the army to plug gaps in the NHS during a winter of strike action show the “absurdity of militarism,” campaigners warned today.

The Peace Pledge Union’s Symon Hill told the Morning Star that “funding the army to do work for which they’re not qualified instead of funding the NHS and paying its staff decent wages” is nonsensical.

The intervention came after Business Secretary Grant Shapps was forced to deny allegations that armed forces personnel are being prepped to replace ambulance drivers and paramedics if other NHS workers join nurses in withdrawing their labour over the coming weeks.