• 11/04/08 - Failure to equip soldiers may be breach of human rights (Telegraph)

• 01/04/08 - Day One Summary of the Lyneham inquest from www.ThisisWiltshire.co.uk

More stories have appeared in the UK and international media about the "fury" of Scots armed forces personnel who are unable to vote in the historic referendum.

Complaining that "Only those who still have an address in Scotland will be able to take part, affecting troops stationed in England, Cyprus and Germany", a Daily Mail story did concede that forces personnel could "in theory" register at an address where they would be living were they not in the forces, or at a previous address.

Another story about the natural concern of many military personnel for local staff who worked with them in the field, and are now in special danger because of their employment with coalition forces.

Soldier's fight to bring Iraqi translator to US

In May 2008 a new website appeared under the banner of 'The Servicemen's Union', announcing that:

The servicemen's union has been set up for all serving and ex-service personnel. We believe that all servicemen and women have the right to join a union and that we should as soon as possible be affiliated to the TUC, like any other union.

The website provided a copy of "The Original Soldier's Charter", which appears to have been published by Hull University Union Labour Society in 1971:

In consultation with members of the Leeds Labour Party Young Socialists, this Labour Society and the Young Chartists nationally, the authors of this document. all of them young soldiers, have formed a "Soldiers'Trade Union Rights Movement"...

The Charter is a fascinating period piece, which helps to explain why the typical opponent of a representative staff association turned out to have served as an officer in the 1970s.

The Servicemen's Union has no connection with the British Armed Forces Federation.

The Servicemen's Union website appears to have disappeared after 2009. We have an electronic copy of the 1971 "Soldier's Charter" .

BAFF representatives have met the Board of EUROMIL - the European Organisation of Military Associations - to discuss the development of effective representation for military personnel.

The House of Lords is holding a debate on Thursday, 7 November on "Protecting the armed forces from vulnerability to legal challenge". A useful House of Lords background note has been produced as background reading for this debate. The British Armed Forces Federation (BAFF) has also produced a draft initial response to the 'Fog of law' Policy Exchange paper by Laura Croft and Thomas Tugendhat. We will be monitoring the debate and will comment further in light of what is said.

More than four million official poll cards have been posted out to voters in Scotland this week. Poll cards give details of your polling place and the polling hours, 7am to 10pm. Keep your card for polling day on 18 September because although you do not need to have it with you on the day, it will save time if you take it to the polling station and show it to the staff there.

Your poll card also has details of how to vote. Your address should also have received the Electoral Commission's 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum Voting Guide; if not, click here for an online copy. Also available: DIN2013DIN01-242 Scottish Independence Referendum - Guidance for Service personnel wishing to vote. The Q&A from the DIN were widely published online - such as here on the RAF Community Support website.

An internal reminder has been issued recently to encourage all eligible personnel and their families to register to vote.

Questions are still being asked about the treatment of Iraqi former local staff:

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.