Brown treats the Services shabbily
My mistake, Des Browne's email address should be;
House of Commons:
House of Commons:
Cool Mod
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If those of you who can suffer the Mail today I strongly recommend reading Max Hasting's article on the subject at hand.
I think it says nearly all of what we all want to say to GB and DB, especially him, as he thinks he's done so much, "much more than any other Defence Secretary" who I am sure says how good he is in the mirror, and then believes it. Simple eh?
They live in a world far removed from this planet and its time to stop the politics and get down to the real stuff.
I think it says nearly all of what we all want to say to GB and DB, especially him, as he thinks he's done so much, "much more than any other Defence Secretary" who I am sure says how good he is in the mirror, and then believes it. Simple eh?
They live in a world far removed from this planet and its time to stop the politics and get down to the real stuff.
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Defence? Vote Winner?
Until recently, Defence hasn't featured on GB or even Des Browne's radar. Why? It costs lots of money and is unlikely to raise the reading age of our children and it has been unpopular.
Neither of the above has served in uniform and whilst they like the power trip, the 'pawns' they play with are of no interest. However, these are people our population look up to and whilst waiting for Mrs CS to come out of the gym at the weekend, I picked up a copy of the Daily Mail on Saturday to find an article on page 19 where Mums in the Leatherhead Leisure Centre heckled injured servicemen to the point where they left the swimming pool. The Mums didn't like it that the injured servicemen hadn't paid and that they scared their children. Perhaps if our own Government expended some effort supporting our personnel we wouldn't have the people upon whom we rely for support heckling those who have risked and given so much.
I really love the job I do because I work with like-minded motivated individuals who are always prepared to go the extra mile because of the people we are, not for some bonus or the chance of celebrity. Gordon Brown may be going all dewy-eyed over his book of people who inspired him, but a whole bunch of equally notable people are serving every day in far away places doing remarkable things for no recognition, knowing they will come home to crap accommodation, unserviceable equipment and families who are expected to out up with constant uncertainty.
Our Government has been given the chance by some senior bods to stand up and accept it has made some errors, get the cheque book out and be seen to do something positive. They aren't brave enough to stand beside us doing the job we do, so they should do the next best thing and provide the financial and moral support to allow us to do our jobs. The key lesson is that you shouldn't start a war unless you expect to win it. So, Gordon Brown the message is man up or move aside and give us a Defnce Secretary who's full-time.
Neither of the above has served in uniform and whilst they like the power trip, the 'pawns' they play with are of no interest. However, these are people our population look up to and whilst waiting for Mrs CS to come out of the gym at the weekend, I picked up a copy of the Daily Mail on Saturday to find an article on page 19 where Mums in the Leatherhead Leisure Centre heckled injured servicemen to the point where they left the swimming pool. The Mums didn't like it that the injured servicemen hadn't paid and that they scared their children. Perhaps if our own Government expended some effort supporting our personnel we wouldn't have the people upon whom we rely for support heckling those who have risked and given so much.
I really love the job I do because I work with like-minded motivated individuals who are always prepared to go the extra mile because of the people we are, not for some bonus or the chance of celebrity. Gordon Brown may be going all dewy-eyed over his book of people who inspired him, but a whole bunch of equally notable people are serving every day in far away places doing remarkable things for no recognition, knowing they will come home to crap accommodation, unserviceable equipment and families who are expected to out up with constant uncertainty.
Our Government has been given the chance by some senior bods to stand up and accept it has made some errors, get the cheque book out and be seen to do something positive. They aren't brave enough to stand beside us doing the job we do, so they should do the next best thing and provide the financial and moral support to allow us to do our jobs. The key lesson is that you shouldn't start a war unless you expect to win it. So, Gordon Brown the message is man up or move aside and give us a Defnce Secretary who's full-time.
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The Lords Hansard for the full almost-4-hour debate is now online if anyone finds the time or inclination to browse through the entire thing. Some interesting points from the former CDSs, eg how the much-touted figure of a 1.5% increase in defence spending could be looked upon as as a reduction when the cost of replacing Trident is taken out and the inflation in the cost of equipment considered.
It begins half way down http://www.publications.parliament.u...71122-0002.htm at 11.38am, when Baroness Park of Monmouth rises to speak, and finishes 10 pages later.
It begins half way down http://www.publications.parliament.u...71122-0002.htm at 11.38am, when Baroness Park of Monmouth rises to speak, and finishes 10 pages later.
Ex-defence secretary joins army funds row
By Lewis Carter
Last Updated: 6:44am GMT 26/11/2007
A former defence secretary intervened in the military funding row yesterday, calling for an extra £25 billion to be spent on the Armed Forces.
The plea from Lord Robertson, one of Gordon Brown's former Cabinet allies, came as figures show officers are quitting the Army in record numbers, blaming cost-cutting and family separation.
Speaking on BBC Scotland's Politics Show, Lord Robertson, defence secretary from 1997 to 1999, said military spending should increase from 2.3 per cent to three per cent of the country's GDP - a £25 billion rise. The demand comes as figures released by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) show that 1,344 officers have left the Army in the past six months, double the rate of the previous 12 months.
Capt Will Richards, 31, said yesterday: "We are overstretched and quite clearly underfunded. The incentive to stay in is no longer there."
Mark Pritchard, the secretary of the Conservative Defence Committee, said: "Soldiers are not being given the contact time with their families which they were promised."
A spokesman for the MoD said: "The UK's Defence budget is the second-highest in the world in real terms. The recent Comprehensive Spending Review settlement means an additional £7.7 billion for defence by 2011."
By Lewis Carter
Last Updated: 6:44am GMT 26/11/2007
A former defence secretary intervened in the military funding row yesterday, calling for an extra £25 billion to be spent on the Armed Forces.
The plea from Lord Robertson, one of Gordon Brown's former Cabinet allies, came as figures show officers are quitting the Army in record numbers, blaming cost-cutting and family separation.
Speaking on BBC Scotland's Politics Show, Lord Robertson, defence secretary from 1997 to 1999, said military spending should increase from 2.3 per cent to three per cent of the country's GDP - a £25 billion rise. The demand comes as figures released by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) show that 1,344 officers have left the Army in the past six months, double the rate of the previous 12 months.
Capt Will Richards, 31, said yesterday: "We are overstretched and quite clearly underfunded. The incentive to stay in is no longer there."
Mark Pritchard, the secretary of the Conservative Defence Committee, said: "Soldiers are not being given the contact time with their families which they were promised."
A spokesman for the MoD said: "The UK's Defence budget is the second-highest in the world in real terms. The recent Comprehensive Spending Review settlement means an additional £7.7 billion for defence by 2011."
Surprised that this hasn't been linked. From yesterday's Daily Telegraph. Certainly didn't make the BBC News. I would love to meet some of these MOD spokesmen. I thought civil servants were supposed to be impartial!!
Absent stirrers
It is very sad that the former Lib Dem Defence spokesmen is no longer with us to add his considerable intellectual weight to the attack on our ineffectual, lying and corrupt government.
He will be remembered this Friday - with fondness and for some time. Long after memories of Desperate Des and Gormless Gordon have atomised.
Skua
He will be remembered this Friday - with fondness and for some time. Long after memories of Desperate Des and Gormless Gordon have atomised.
Skua
