Councils that house military sites could be forced to cover the huge cost of Ministry of Defence (MoD) plans to return 70,000 troops and personnel from overseas bases, and to axe a further 42,000 jobs, The MJ has learnt.

MPs and councillors representing garrison towns are demanding extra funding for areas facing new pressures on local housing, education, children's, welfare and care services following the coalition's Strategic Defence Review (SDR) last October.