The 27th June 2009 marked an important date as Armed Forces Day, serving to honour our servicemen and women and veterans who have made and continue to make huge sacrifices for their country. The first of its kind in the UK, the Armed Forces Day main event was staged at the historic Dockyard Chatham, Kent, where there were military and veterans parades, and military bands and displays; hundreds of other events were held in towns and cities throughout the UK.

Events like the Armed Forces Day are incredibly important and serve to remind the British people of the dedication and bravery of our armed forces and their achievements from World War I to more recently, in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Armed Forces Day gives us an opportunity to show our appreciation to our servicemen and women for their sacrifices and achievements. And yet, despite our armed forces upholding their half of the military covenant commendably, the Government routinely fails to provide our servicemen and veterans with adequate welfare and equipment provisions. Our troops are overstretched - they do not have the helicopters and armoured vehicles urgently required, and replacements for the insufficiently armoured Snatch Land Rovers have been slow. Housing for servicemen and their families is woefully inadequate, and Government provisions to support the physical and mental wellbeing of our servicemen are greatly overstretched and in need of pressing attention.

Not only is the Government failing to provide our troops with adequate support in terms of health and equipment, our forces are denied the strategic direction they so desperately need both in Afghanistan and also more broadly. A Strategic Defence Review urgently needs to be commissioned in order that our troops have the right support and equipment and that this support is in sufficient supply.

But what does the public think?

• Are they satisfied with the celebrations for Armed Forces Day 2009?
• Do they think the Government adequately support our troops?
• What is the most pressing concern for our armed forces today?

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 »

Commenting on John Hutton’s attack on EU countries for failing to do enough to support the NATO mission in Afghanistan, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey said:

“There is certainly a case for more ‘heavy lifting’ to be done by our European allies in Afghanistan.

“But John Hutton should remember that key European allies committed to Afghanistan while opposing the disastrous war in Iraq. Read more »

Speech delivered to RUSI Conference on Thu 27th Nov 2008

(check against delivery)

When rebuilding a consensus where do we start?

Indeed, was there ever a consensus over Britain’s defence policy? And is it possible?

I would like to say yes, but that is dependent on everyone agreeing on my point of view.

However, as you who engage with politics and politicians on a regular basis can testify, consensus is usually an alien concept in the corridors of Westminster, and in the departments of Whitehall.

A rarity that is often lauded and seldom achieved.

The British political system and culture is antagonistic. Wholesale change would be welcome but until it comes, the checks and balances of the current set-up demand robust argument. Read more »

General Sir Richard Dannatt has again commented that ministers must not take ‘cheap options’ when equipping the Armed Forces, and that the Army is under pressure due to fighting two wars at once, and he is absolutely right to do so.

 Our troops are still having to make do with tired old vehicles and a crippling shortage of helicopters.

He rightly identifies the problems of fighting two wars at once and it is clear that the continuing deployment of British troops in Iraq is massively exacerbating the problems of overstretch faced by our military. Read more »