The Ministry of Defence is the Government department and highest level of military headquarters charged with formulating and executing defence policy for the Armed Forces. The department is controlled by the Secretary of State for Defence and contains three deputy appointments: Minister of State for the Armed Forces, Minister for Defence Procurement, and Minister for Veterans' Affairs.
Before you all give Jacko a kicking for being spineless, make sure you kick him for the right thing. Even he was expected to execute the policies and decrees of the Politicians who own his ass. Yes he can argue the details of the policy execution, but not the policy itself. Officers of the Armed Forces are an instrument of the elected Government, they get the opportunity to decide on Defence policy at every General Election, other than that they get on with the duties
"and all such Orders and Instructions as you shall from time to time receive from Us or from your Superior Officers for Her Majesty's Service."
It's not a debating shop or the Politburo, it's the Armed Forces for goodness sake.
Like all the whining over the Government gag order, what the hell do you think you are getting into when you swear an oath of allegiance to Her Majesty? Is there not some clue here that it's a little more binding than a Dixon's extended warranty, or has more gravitas than being in charge of oil changes at Kwik Fit? Did anyone think that just because the Oath didn't mention gobbing off on Blogs or Chat Rooms it wasn't covered? Did "Conduct Prejudicial to good Military Order and Discipline" mean anything at all on those courses you did? Or did you think that just applied to enlisted folk?
Even when Jackson was CDS he had a boss who expected him to get on with his job. Whether he agreed with Military Policy or not, once he had finsihed complaining about it, he was expected to execute it. Sounds like this radical idea of duty and loyalty to the Crown belongs to the "I remember when" thread.