British taxpayers should be allowed to opt out of funding the Army, Jeremy Corbyn once proposed in an idea former generals have called “stark-starring bonkers”.

The Labour leadership front-runner suggested voters should be able to act with their “conscience” and order the Treasury not spend their tax money on soldiers.

Britain’s leading former generals warned the “corrosive” idea could undermine public support for soldiers and was “absolutely ludicrous”.

It has emerged after Mr Corbyn triggered a backlash by saying he “couldn’t think” of a situation in which he would deploy troops.