The British Armed Forces Federation (BAFF) welcomes news that the army is exploring ways to recruit more Muslims. This will be an extension of well-established efforts to increase representation from minority British communities.

BAFF Chairman, Douglas Young, said that "This isn't, and mustn't ever become, about political correctness.

The UK Parliamentary general election takes place on Thursday 7 May 2015.

This article contains information on registering to vote and voting for members of the armed forces and civilians.

Following President Hollande's acceptance of the Pêcheur Report on the consequences of the ECHR judgements of 2 October, the French National Assembly's Defence Committee will be taking evidence on Wed 21 January from allied defence attachés, including a Captain RN from the United Kingdom, about freedom of association and the right to organise for military personnel. UPDATE: Video of attachés' hearing now available HERE. Video of Tuesday's hearing with Pêcheur Report author available HERE. Transcript of evidence by UK Naval Attaché now available HERE.

French soldiers' rights campaigners have welcomed President François Hollande's announcement that they will be allowed to form professional associations, following two rulings in October by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

The Ministry of Defence has published a tri-service review paper, led by the Chief of the General Staff, into women in ground close combat roles.

As predicted by BAFF, the review does raise the prospect of women being allowed to serve in such roles, defined as "those roles that are primarily intended and designed with the purpose of requiring individuals on the ground, to close with and kill the enemy".

Back in 2007 BAFF made a significant contribution to the pressure on behalf of Iraqi local staff who were in danger due to their work for UK authorities. One of the founding BAFF members was a leader of that national campaign. Other members serving in Iraq at the time held informal straw polls which showed support amongst the troops, and we contributed to the debate on social media and in broadcast interviews.

The Ministry of Defence is thought likely to relax the long-standing rule preventing women serving in the infantry.

A report by Deborah Haynes, Defence Editor of The Times (£ link) suggests that the review into female combat soldiers, which was brought forward by the previous Defence Secretary last April, is likely to be signed off by Michael Fallon as early as next week.

As has been the case since the start of the review, it is widely expected that the MoD will give women the chance to serve in ground combat roles.

If the decision proves controversial, some may try to blame the decision on a EU Directive.

BAFF welcomes the announcement that war widows covered by the 1975 armed forces pension scheme will, from next April, no longer lose their widow's pension if they find a new partner.

The change is not yet in force, nor is it retrospective. It appears that those who have already had their pension withdrawn, because of finding a new partner, will not get it back.

UPDATE: An Army widow whose husband lost his life in Northern Ireland, and who lost her entitlement to service widow's pension on her remarriage, has now started an online petition here: DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WAR WIDOWS/ THE WRONG TIME TO DIE!

The Government must now establish a more truly independent complaints process in the Armed Services, says the House of Commons Defence Committee in its latest report, published today. The report is a response to the Armed Forces (Service Complaints and Financial Assistance) Bill, which has completed its passage through the House of Lords, and is now being considered in the House of Commons.

Campaigners Child Soldiers International (CSI) are taking legal action against the Ministry of Defence to demand that soldiers who joined the Army Foundation College at 16 or 17 years of age "are not forced into serving longer than adult recruits".

Their argument is that those who join the AFC at 16 or 17, and do not exercise their right of discharge before they reach 18, then have to serve the same minimum four years adult service as everybody else. So if their AFC service is included, their total service obligation is longer than someone who joins at 18 or over. CSI describe this as "Catch 22".