Supporting our Armed Services

I was delighted that the Lib Dems this week backed calls for our armed service personnel to be looked after better when they are injured. Not a moment too soon. Earlier in the year, I blogged about how more former Falklands conflict soliders had killed themselves than were killed in actual fighting in 1982. I was also disgusted to read about the awful conditions for our soliders in hospital when back from Iraq; and more recently about the low compensation to a soldier who lost his limbs.

So at Lib Dem conference on Wednesday, I was pleased to hand out leaflets from the Royal British Legion for the Honour the Covenant campaign. The Lib Dems were the only major party to oppose the war in Iraq but we nevertheless support our troops, who have been betrayed by politicians of the other parties. Backing our troops is high on the agenda of my colleague Bob Russell, MP for Colchester, the garrison town up the A12. He spoke out at the Lib Dem conference fringe meeting on Wednesday, and most recently he has called for parcels to service personnel to be free.

Lib Dem MP Mark Hunter has also backed The Covenant campaign.