Farron: “damning” evidence that Labour neglected Armed Forces

By The Voice | Tue 27th July 2010 - 6:25 pm

A memo released by the Iraq Inquiry today by Lieutenant General Sir Nicholas Houghton, then-Chief of Joint Operations at the military’s Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) to Ministers, shows that Labour ministers were formally warned that the military needed an alternative to the Snatch Land Rover in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Tim Farron, Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Committee for Foreign Affairs & Defence, comments:

This is yet another damning sign that the Labour Government ignored advice from its top military officials on their equipment needs. “As we long suspected, generals told ministers that they needed better equipment to protect their troops and to prevent more casualties. For years the Army had to make do with adding extra protection to their existing, unsuitable vehicles.

“This is unacceptable in any situation and led to unnecessary casualties. I look forward to working with my Coalition colleagues to put these kind of indefensible practices behind us by making sure our brave soldiers are properly equipped.”

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5 Comments

raymond 27th Jul '10 - 6:56pm

i will never vote liberal again ! not even the prefrence vote in scotland labour first greens second scottish socailist third solidarity fouth and so on
neil bradbury 27th Jul '10 - 7:20pm

Disgraceful – Labour should be ashamed.
Chris Jenkinson 27th Jul '10 - 7:25pm

raymond, so your response to hearing that the Lib Dems support proper equipment for troops serving and dying for our country and highlighting the neglect Labour inflicted on them, is to vote Labour and not Lib Dem? Baffling.
AndrewR 28th Jul '10 - 6:14pm

We spend absolutely staggering amounts on the military. Defence is probably the most bloated, mismanaged part of the public sector yet military chiefs seem to be beyond criticism. Pieties about ‘our brave boys’ don’t disguise the manifest absurdities and inefficiencies of our military spend. We have more admirals than we have ships for chrissakes.

The real story is that the MOD needs to learn how to manage their budgets effectively.
Steve 29th Jul '10 - 7:27am

sop why is the coalition to cut the military by 30,000