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| Army accused of political correctness in recruitment campaign | Army accused of political correctness in recruitment campaign |
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| The British army has been accused of bowing to political correctness after launching a campaign to recruit more people from a diversity of genders, sexualities, ethnicities and faiths. | The British army has been accused of bowing to political correctness after launching a campaign to recruit more people from a diversity of genders, sexualities, ethnicities and faiths. |
| In a series of animations released on social media, the campaign positively answers questions such as “Can I be gay in the army?” and “What if I get emotional in the army?”. | In a series of animations released on social media, the campaign positively answers questions such as “Can I be gay in the army?” and “What if I get emotional in the army?”. |
| Other videos in the £1.6m campaign ask: “Can I practise my faith in the army?” and “Will I be listened to in the army?”, and “Do I have to be a superhero to join the army?”. | Other videos in the £1.6m campaign ask: “Can I practise my faith in the army?” and “Will I be listened to in the army?”, and “Do I have to be a superhero to join the army?”. |
| Gen Nick Carter, the chief of the general staff, said the army needed to appeal to people beyond its traditional cohort of young, white men. | Gen Nick Carter, the chief of the general staff, said the army needed to appeal to people beyond its traditional cohort of young, white men. |
| Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he denied claims that the “This is belonging 2018” campaign showed the army had “gone soft”. | Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he denied claims that the “This is belonging 2018” campaign showed the army had “gone soft”. |
| “Combat ethos and fighting power remain the British army’s highest priority,” he said. “This campaign is a recognition that we don’t have a fully manned army at the moment, that the demography of our country has changed, and that we need to reach out to a broader community in order to man that army with the right talent. | “Combat ethos and fighting power remain the British army’s highest priority,” he said. “This campaign is a recognition that we don’t have a fully manned army at the moment, that the demography of our country has changed, and that we need to reach out to a broader community in order to man that army with the right talent. |
| “Our tradition cohort would have been white, male, Caucasian 16- to 25-year-olds, and there are not as many of those around as there once were.” | “Our tradition cohort would have been white, male, Caucasian 16- to 25-year-olds, and there are not as many of those around as there once were.” |
| “It is entirely appropriate for us therefore to try and reach out to a much broader base to get the talent we need in order to sustain that combat effectiveness.” | “It is entirely appropriate for us therefore to try and reach out to a much broader base to get the talent we need in order to sustain that combat effectiveness.” |
| However, the retired colonel Richard Kemp, a former commander of British operations in Afghanistan, said the campaign would not solve the army’s recruitment problem. | However, the retired colonel Richard Kemp, a former commander of British operations in Afghanistan, said the campaign would not solve the army’s recruitment problem. |
| “The army, like the rest of government, is being forced down a route of political correctness,” he told BBC Breakfast. “What is most important is that the army is full of soldiers. It is of secondary importance that they reflect the composition of society.” | “The army, like the rest of government, is being forced down a route of political correctness,” he told BBC Breakfast. “What is most important is that the army is full of soldiers. It is of secondary importance that they reflect the composition of society.” |
| He claimed that what attracted recruits was images of fighting. | He claimed that what attracted recruits was images of fighting. |
| “The main group of people who are interested in joining aren’t worried so much about whether they are going to be listened to … they are going to be attracted by images of combat. | “The main group of people who are interested in joining aren’t worried so much about whether they are going to be listened to … they are going to be attracted by images of combat. |
| “Of course the more people from all parts of society who join the better, but it’s even more important to fill the army up with people who want to fight and want to be soldiers and this I don’t think will do that.” | “Of course the more people from all parts of society who join the better, but it’s even more important to fill the army up with people who want to fight and want to be soldiers and this I don’t think will do that.” |
| In one of the ads a gay army medic describes wanting to join the army after his brother served in Afghanistan. | In one of the ads a gay army medic describes wanting to join the army after his brother served in Afghanistan. |
| “I was really worried about whether I would be accepted … I’m not afraid to talk about having a boyfriend. I thought I’d have to hide it, but once you’ve done it you think: why did I have to make it such a big thing for so long?” | “I was really worried about whether I would be accepted … I’m not afraid to talk about having a boyfriend. I thought I’d have to hide it, but once you’ve done it you think: why did I have to make it such a big thing for so long?” |
| The former cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith, who served as a lieutenant in the Scots Guards, said the ads were too negative. | |
| Speaking to ITV’s Good Morning Britain, he said: “When you’re under fire the people on your left and right are your family, they protect you, you protect them, their lives matter to you. I would like to see a lot more of it couched in terms like that rather than, ‘Me, personally, can I express myself?’.” | Speaking to ITV’s Good Morning Britain, he said: “When you’re under fire the people on your left and right are your family, they protect you, you protect them, their lives matter to you. I would like to see a lot more of it couched in terms like that rather than, ‘Me, personally, can I express myself?’.” |
| The retired major general Tim Cross said he was in favour of recruiting from a broader base to boost numbers, but stressed they must be able to deliver high-intensity fighting power. | The retired major general Tim Cross said he was in favour of recruiting from a broader base to boost numbers, but stressed they must be able to deliver high-intensity fighting power. |
| He told Today: “We must ensure that everybody knows that they have an opportunity of joining the British armed forces and joining the army in particular, but we are not going to be soft and we are not going to be nice to people.” | He told Today: “We must ensure that everybody knows that they have an opportunity of joining the British armed forces and joining the army in particular, but we are not going to be soft and we are not going to be nice to people.” |