The Armed Forces Pay Review Body (AFPRB) carries out a yearly review of armed forces pay, allowances and charges, in accordance with directions from the Government. It submits its recommendations to Government in time to be considered and, if accepted, brought into force from 1 April, the beginning of the next financial year.

When BAFF started, the eagerly-awaited recommendations came out in February or March.

In recent years the Government's approval and publication of the AFPRB report have, however, been taking place later and later. The AFPRB have repeatedly complained about this, saying in their latest published report (Oct 2021):

UPDATE:  We tried a 'Tineye' reverse image search on the photo of a filthy refrigerator alleged to be at Wellington Barracks, which turns out to have been previously posted on a foreign site on or before 2017.

Also, the goods in the fridge don't look recognisably British.

Unions. Strikes. And Brussels. Uncontroversial as always ...

When forces personnel were being lined up to provide strike cover over the festive season, British Armed Forces Federation (BAFF) unsurprisingly received a number of media enquries, but this time we didn't say anything more than a few posts on social media.

For example, following a prominent MP's criticism of remarks by CDS that that the military was 'busy' and should not be the 'go-to' to fill gaps, BAFF tweeted on 19 Dec 2022 that Adm Radakin's comments were:

right and appropriate. Defence does what it's told within the limits of the law, but it's busy, and busy or not, it [the use of the military during strike action in essential public services] must be a last resort.

Now a member has brought to our attention a troubling tweet by the European Organisation of Military Associations and Trade Unions ('EUROMIL') on their official Twitter account -

British Armed Forces Federation (BAFF) supports the principle of sensible arrangements for representing the concerns of armed forces personnel, to work in a constructive relationship with the chain of command but be able to raise issues like pay, accommodation, catering and community facilities with the many agencies which have an impact on their daily lives.

Some of us attending or watching online a RUSI members' event last night [7 Feb 2023] were interested, therefore, to hear remarks by the Labour Party's Shadow Defence Secretary, John Healey MP in reply to a question: