Support grows for 'troops out' call

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Calls for troops to quit Helmand have risen sharply just as Gordon Brown prepares to send hundreds more.

The figure has increased to 36% from 29% in mid-September, according to the Populus poll for The Times newspaper.

The growing unease at the armed presence has been driven by women, with four out of 10 wanting Britain out, up from three out of 10 over the past month.

More than twice as many men as women believe that British troops should remain until "the Taliban is defeated and the situation there is stable, even if that takes many years", according to the paper. The overall number taking this view has slipped from 28 to 27% over the past month.

The poll also reveals opposition to General Sir Richard Dannatt's appointment as an adviser to the Conservatives, with 48% believing he was wrong to have become involved in party politics within six weeks of retiring as head of the Army.

Fifty-four per cent thought Gen Dannatt was right to speak publicly about confidential advice he gave to Mr Brown while he was head of the Army, with 41% saying he was wrong.

Captain Doug Beattie, who recently retired from service with the Royal Irish Regiment and won a Military Cross for his services in Helmand in 2006, recently said withdrawals would be "short-sighted".

He said: "The crux of the matter is that we are disrupting these terror attacks before they leave the country of origin. But we have to be lucky all the time, terrorists only need to be lucky once.

"The prospect of reduced troop strength in the country could not be more short-sighted. Not only do we have a moral obligation to send more troops out - the results have shown that it is worthwhile."