Commenting on today’s report from the International Commission of Jurists, which says that the UK and USA have actively undermined international law in the way they fight terrorism, and calls for proper disclosure on human rights violations, Liberal Democrat Shadow Foreign Secretary, Edward Davey said:

“This is damning testament to just how much liberty has been ineffectually sacrificed in the ‘war on terror’. Read more »

Commenting on today’s MoD statement on the cost of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, which showed that the cost of the British military presence in Iraq increased by around £0.5bn to nearly £2bn last year, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey said:

“These figures show that this Government’s catastrophic decision to take Britain into an illegal war in Iraq still casts a long shadow on our Armed Forces. Read more »

Commenting on today’s statement by John Hutton on Defence Planning Assumptions, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey said:

“The MoD’s Defence Planning Assumptions have been operating in a parallel universe for many years now.

“This latest review is just an attempt to put a veneer of credibility on the appalling overstretch our armed forces are operating under. Read more »

Responding to David Miliband’s statement on allegations that evidence of torture has been concealed, Liberal Democrat Shadow Foreign Secretary, Edward Davey said:

“The question of the publication of this summary was not about security and intelligence, it was about whether or not to cover up torture and the United States’ interest in avoiding political embarrassment.

“The point at question is not a threat to our security coming from terrorists, but a threat to our security coming from our closest ally. Read more »

Commenting on today’s High Court judgement alleging that a British resident held in Guantanamo Bay had been tortured, and that the US threatened to withdraw intelligence co-operation with the UK if details were released, Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg said:

“This judgement demolishes Gordon Brown’s recent claim that he would build a special relationship with the US ‘so strong, no power on earth can ever drive us apart’. No matter how special the relationship, it must not come before the rule of law.

“There is no other term for what the US intelligence services are doing than blackmail. It is simply incredible that the US Government would have halted intelligence co-operation with the UK if this information had been made public. There are dangerous echoes of the halting of the SFO investigation into BAE arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Read more »

Speech by Nick Harvey MP delivered to House of Commons on Thu 29th Jan 2009

As ever, may I start by paying tribute to the men and women of our armed forces who work tirelessly and bravely, often in difficult, demanding and dangerous circumstances.

I join others in expressing my condolences for those who have lost their lives serving their country, and my sympathy to those who have returned injured, either physically or mentally.

Our personnel are the lifeblood of our military capabilities. Yet faced with low pay, long hours, substandard accommodation, insufficient recognition and the prospect of another ten to twenty years in Afghanistan without the support they need, they do not have an easy time. Read more »