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| Brown 'shows contempt for forces' | Brown 'shows contempt for forces' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown has treated the armed services with "contempt" and "disinterest", a former chief of the defence staff has told a Lords debate. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown has treated the armed services with "contempt" and "disinterest", a former chief of the defence staff has told a Lords debate. |
| Admiral Lord Boyce said the decision to give one person - Des Browne - the jobs of both defence and Scottish secretary was an "insult" at a time of war. | Admiral Lord Boyce said the decision to give one person - Des Browne - the jobs of both defence and Scottish secretary was an "insult" at a time of war. |
| Another former defence chief, General Lord Guthrie, said Mr Brown had been "unsympathetic" to the military. | Another former defence chief, General Lord Guthrie, said Mr Brown had been "unsympathetic" to the military. |
| The government said it was committed to the welfare of service personnel. | The government said it was committed to the welfare of service personnel. |
| It shows an appalling lack of judgement at a time when our people are being killed and they are being maimed Admiral Lord Boyce | It shows an appalling lack of judgement at a time when our people are being killed and they are being maimed Admiral Lord Boyce |
| During the Lords debate, Lord Boyce said of the decision to give Mr Browne a combined role: "It is seen as an insult by our sailors, our soldiers and our airmen on the front line. | During the Lords debate, Lord Boyce said of the decision to give Mr Browne a combined role: "It is seen as an insult by our sailors, our soldiers and our airmen on the front line. |
| "And I know because I have reason to speak to them a lot. And it is certainly a demonstration of the disinterest and some might say contempt that the prime minister and his government has for our armed forces. | "And I know because I have reason to speak to them a lot. And it is certainly a demonstration of the disinterest and some might say contempt that the prime minister and his government has for our armed forces. |
| "And it shows an appalling lack of judgement at a time when our people are being killed and they are being maimed." | "And it shows an appalling lack of judgement at a time when our people are being killed and they are being maimed." |
| The former defence chiefs spoke during a debate in which the prime minister's commitment to the forces was questioned. | The former defence chiefs spoke during a debate in which the prime minister's commitment to the forces was questioned. |
| Lord Guthrie said: "In my experience... he was a most unsympathetic chancellor of the exchequer as far as defence was concerned - and the only senior Cabinet minister who avoided coming to the Ministry of Defence to be briefed by our staff on our problems." | Lord Guthrie said: "In my experience... he was a most unsympathetic chancellor of the exchequer as far as defence was concerned - and the only senior Cabinet minister who avoided coming to the Ministry of Defence to be briefed by our staff on our problems." |
| 'Fully committed' | 'Fully committed' |
| He added: "And I think really that he must take much of the blame for the very serious situation we find the services in today." | He added: "And I think really that he must take much of the blame for the very serious situation we find the services in today." |
| But Defence Minister Baroness Taylor of Bolton said: "I give an assurance that the government is fully committed to meeting its responsibility for serving personnel, the veterans and their families. | |
| "We have overseen a very long-standing programme of improvement in service pay, accommodation, health and welfare provision and force protection. | "We have overseen a very long-standing programme of improvement in service pay, accommodation, health and welfare provision and force protection. |
| "While we recognise that more can be done, we are making real progress on some of the problems that have been there for far longer than we have been in power." | "While we recognise that more can be done, we are making real progress on some of the problems that have been there for far longer than we have been in power." |
| Earlier this week, a leaked report showed the head of the British Army has expressed concern about poor morale among troops. | Earlier this week, a leaked report showed the head of the British Army has expressed concern about poor morale among troops. |
| General Sir Richard Dannatt also raised the issue of the strain placed on resources by operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. | General Sir Richard Dannatt also raised the issue of the strain placed on resources by operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. |
| According to the report, obtained by the Sunday Telegraph, Sir Richard said troops felt "devalued, angry and suffering from Iraq fatigue". | According to the report, obtained by the Sunday Telegraph, Sir Richard said troops felt "devalued, angry and suffering from Iraq fatigue". |
| The Ministry of Defence said he was referring to individuals who were not necessarily widely representative. | The Ministry of Defence said he was referring to individuals who were not necessarily widely representative. |