Friday, November 08, 2024

This is an ARCHIVED article at baff.org.uk. Information and/or links may well be out of date.

According to a report in The Daily Mirror. Prime Minister David Cameron today "stands accused by the Labour Party" of breaking "10 crucial election pledges" to Britain's armed forces:

Top of his list of empty promises is his failure to make law the Military Covenant, the historic pact setting out Britain's duty to its fighting men and women.

Other betrayals by him and his Lib Dem sidekicks include failing to provide better homes for our heroes and improved care for Forces families and veterans.

Shadow Defence Secretary Jim Murphy, whose team drew up the damning dossier, said: "Each day brings a new broken promise from this Conservative-led Government.

"The service community will feel a deep sense of disappointment that their actions in Government do not live up to their pre-election rhetoric.

"It appears they don't know what they are doing but even worse, that they have lost their sense of right and wrong."

The Royal British Legion also tore into Mr Cameron over his backtracking on the Military Covenant vow.

Director General Chris Simpkins said: "The covenant is a concept we think should be enshrined in law so the public can hold any Government's feet to the fire about whether it is being properly honoured and respected."

It comes as war heroes and Forces' widows face 1% pension cuts from April – a scandal that has seen several military top figures support the Mirror's Pensions Fit For Heroes campaign.

And an Army Families Federation poll has found nearly 80% of troops have considered quitting over poor wages.

Mr Murphy said the PM had also let down the services with empty pledges on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment, shorter tours of duty, dedicated military wards, wages and injury payouts.

Mr Cameron came under fresh pressure over military pensions last night as the number of MPs backing a Commons call for a U-turn rose to 105. Mr Murphy said: "The Government must listen to the flood of MPs calling on them to think again. It's clear to everyone apart from ministers that a permanent cut to pensions and benefits is deeply unjust."

Labour MP Nick Smith, who launched the Commons revolt, said: "I'm pleased more than 100 MPs from across the House pledged support for my Early Day Motion calling for pension cuts to be ditched. The Prime Minister should have a change of heart given the support for our forces in Parliament."

Mr Simpkins and other military charities will grill MPs today on the pensions fiasco.

Mr Murphy said: "They have let down the Armed Forces community and I hope that they will be held to account."

Source article, by Tom McTague, Daily Mirror