Ashdown says package offered to Afghan interpreter doesn’t “fulfill our debt of honour”

A couple of weeks ago, we reported that the Government had changed its mind and would allow Afghan intepreters to settle in this country. This is something that Paddy Ashdown and Nick Clegg had argued for vociferously.

However, as details of the scheme have emerged, they have been dismissed as insufficient by various people, including Paddy Ashdown as the Times (£) reports:

Senior politicians have accused the Government of mistaken priorities in their handling of safeguards for British Army interpreters when UK forces leave Afghanistan.

Only those interpreters who were still in British service on December 19, 2012, will be offered a package of support that includes asylum in Britain under plans confirmed yesterday.

Philip Hammond, the Defence Secretary, said that interpreters would be offered inducements to stay in the country, including five years’ paid training or 18 months’ salary, with relocation to Britain the third option.

But the interpreters have said that few of their colleagues would qualify for the package.

Paddy Ashdown is quoted as saying:

The Government has misunderstood that the most important thing here is not how generous it is, but how much it relieves those who served the Crown from mortal risk,” he said. “The package falls significantly short of what is required to fulfil a debt of honour.

* Newshound: bringing you the best Lib Dem commentary in print, on air or online.

Read more by or more about , or .
This entry was posted in News.
Advert

One Comment

  • A Social Liberal 5th Jun '13 - 6:07pm

    I said this long before Paddy, in a much better class of publication

    “This government has condemned even more to at least a lifetime of fear and quite possibly death at the hands of the Taliban because only ‘terps’ who are currently employed will be allowed in.

    Shame on them.”

    Lib Dem Voice Wed 22nd May ‘Nick Clegg and Paddy Ashdown Win The Arguement on Afghan Interpreters’

Post a Comment

Lib Dem Voice welcomes comments from everyone but we ask you to be polite, to be on topic and to be who you say you are. You can read our comments policy in full here. Please respect it and all readers of the site.

To have your photo next to your comment please signup your email address with Gravatar.

Your email is never published. Required fields are marked *

*
*
Please complete the name of this site, Liberal Democrat ...?

Advert

Recent Comments

  • David Le Grice
    Would trade unions even be willing to donate to us? To the extent they were able to tolerate Blair, Brown and Starmer it's largely been because of the Labours h...
  • Tristan Ward
    Sorry about the typo Jack. - completely unintended....
  • Jack Meredith
    In response to Tristan Ward: No need for the mocking tone, or to call me "kack". I just find it interesting that a party founded on the alliance on a liberal...
  • Tristan Ward
    @ Kack Meredith SHOCK HORROR - Leader of Liberal Democrats (elected by the membership nomless) is a actually a liberal!...
  • Jack Meredith
    In response to Steve Trevethan: As much as I respect Sir Ed for his work on care and the charismatic enigma he is, I feel that he will never accept social de...