New Lib Dem Armed Forces policy welcomed by South Shrops candidate
A new Armed Forces policy proposed by ex-serviceman Richard Foord MP, the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Defence, has today been approved by their Bournemouth Conference. Mr Foord served in the Balkans and Iraq, receiving three campaign medals.
The policy highlights the most common reason for leaving the armed forces as the impact on personal and family life, and flags serious issues with Ministry of Defence housing and childcare provision.
'We’re calling for a better deal for our Armed Forces and our Vets in this new policy' says South Shropshire Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate Chris Naylor, who lives in All Stretton.
‘We’re saying Government should cancel the cuts they’ve made to Army budgets. And their Office of Veterans Affairs should launch an inquiry into the impact of the cost of living on the Armed Forces community. We know our Vets are sadly twice as likely to be in receipt of sickness or disability benefits’ he continued.
‘And we must strengthen the Armed Forces Covenant - our promise to treat the Armed Forces fairly and with respect - by creating a legal duty on the Defence Secretary to honour it’ he said.
Shropshire-based former Royal Navy officer - and past Lib Dem PPC - Grahame Hudson commented: ‘I fully support this new Lib Dem commitment to strengthen the Armed Forces Covenant - and to improve the terrible state of married quarters and service accommodation too. I particularly welcome the emphasis on improving mental health provision for both veterans and service personnel.’
Mr Hudson, who lives near Much Wenlock, continued 'The Tories have just kept cutting all the armed forces, despite promising not to do so in their 2019 manifesto, with the Royal Navy now losing more surface ships, the Royal Air Force recently losing its C130J Hercules fleet and now the Army losing thousands of personnel. It is great to see the Liberal Democrats standing up for our Armed Forces and Veterans, who have been so let down by the Conservatives.'