Fox attacks govt for damaging military covenant
Liam Fox claims Labour have broken the military covenent between govenment and the armed forces.
Tuesday, 02, Oct 2007 12:00
The Conservatives moved to capitalise today on the so-called broken covenant between the government and armed forces.
Attacking the treatment military personnel receive under Labour, shadow defence secretary Liam Fox vowed the Conservatives would respect and strengthen the armed forces.
Following a slew of open attacks from senior figures within the armed forces, the Conservatives appear to think the government's relationship with the military is a major weakness.
Mr Fox promised to make the need for a bigger, better army a key battleground in an election campaign that could come as early as next week.
He said the first duty of government is defence of the realm and the Conservatives would ensure the armed forces are big enough to face the challenges of the threat of nuclear weapons, terrorism and energy security.
After complaints from defence chiefs that they have been asked to make further cuts, Mr Fox said the Conservatives would bring back proper, planned establishment levels, including restoring the three battalions cut by Labour.
Speaking at the Conservative party conference, he said: "In the real world the only logical conclusion you can come to is that the army is already too small."
Mr Fox argued returning military personnel needed to be treated with greater respect. He backed calls from army head Sir Richard Dennant for homecoming parades modelled on the US approach.
In a further bid to boost respect for the armed forces, he said they should be seen more on the streets.
He also hit out the failing of social and mental health services to adequately care for service personnel. Warning cases of post traumatic stress syndrome will only increase, he called for more training for MPs.
The shadow defence secretary also demanded dedicated military wards for injured personnel returning from duty abroad.
Speaking as part of the security debate, Mr Fox gave no indication the Conservatives would move away from Labour's interventionist foreign policy.
He defended the "special relationship" with the US, speaking against a Euro Army which he claimed would weaken the transatlantic alliance and Nato.
Warning of threats from Al Qaeda, Iran and Russia, he said the government must be prepared to strengthen and champion the armed forces into the long-term.
He told delegates: "If we don't take on Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Iraq and Afghanistan then we will face them in London, New York or wherever they choose to strike next. Not confronting them cannot be an option."
Mr Fox accused the media of ignoring the threats in the world, blaming an obsession with "Big Brother, reality shows and footballers wives."
On the day Gordon Brown travels to Iraq, he also attacked the prime minister for "ignoring" Iraq in last week's Labour conference speech.