"They got the money for everything they asked for" - Gordon Brown, Chilcot Inquiry.
As we know Gordon Brown was talking about our armed forces in the above statement. What he didn't say is that he approved for a cut in military training exercises to save money.
A record 80 training exercises were cancelled last year while the number of British troops in Afghanistan rose to 10,000.
Last week, the Wiltshire coroner castigated the MoD over 'inadequate' mine detection training following the death of Cpl Sarah Bryant, the first British woman killed in Afghanistan and there SAS soldiers.
It is reported units training to deploy to Afghanistan within the next two years have had their training cut. One battalion commander said: "We are attempting to train essentially with one hand tied behind our back."
Figures show that the number of exercises conducted in the past three years fell by almost 30%, dropping from 646 in 2008 to 462 last year. Meanwhile the number of cancellations rose from 58 in 2006 to a high of 80 last year.
These cuts are expected to save the MoD around £20 million and were part of a £97 million saving forced on the Army along with a recruitment freeze. MoD officials admitted that cuts had been made as part of "in-year saving measures."
Training is an essential part of military work; particularly when we are at war. Reduced training puts more lives at risk. It's a well recorded fact.
I wonder of the MoD medal presentation celebrations and Christmas parties will be cut this year.
Gordon Brown says he supports our troops. By reducing training he's ensuring there will be more needless losses when we've lost enough of our young through inadequate training and equipment. It frustrates me that some people just can't see Gordon Brown's lack of commitment to our military. He has no interest. He treats this war as an 'out of sight out of mind' event. The worst Prime Minister in modern history will be noted for reducing military training while this country was at war - along with many other misplaced decisions.
Do have a read of George Foulkes' letter to the Guardian in which he expresses his anger at his fellow peers criticism of his pal Gordon. His voluntary appointments noted in the Register of Members Interests for the House of Lords alone is worth reading.
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