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Howard's Way.... a weekly column from the Rt. Hon. Michael Howard QC. MP. 

20 September 2007

Last week’s call by the Royal British Legion to honour the Military Covenant, the natural bond between the nation and its armed forces, was closely followed by the report of the Defence Select Committee which said much of the accommodation lived in by troops was “disgraceful”.

 

This confirms what I found when I visited the barracks at Shorncliffe a short time ago. Then one of the officials from the Ministry of Defence who was showing me round was forced to confess that some of the accommodation was “uninhabitable”, yet it was being lived in.

Accommodation was one, but only one, of the concerns to which the Legion drew attention.

They rightly also highlighted the need to do more to support the health of Service personnel and their families and also bereaved relations. They might also have referred to the prolonged period of active frontline duty which our service personnel are currently being asked to undertake, especially in Afghanistan, in fighting as fierce as any we have seen since the Korean War.

We can never underestimate the debt we owe to those whom we ask to lay down their lives on our behalf. It is easy to pay lip service to this obligation.

What we now need is action to match the words which are in such abundant supply. The campaign of the Legion merits our support. The recommendations of the Defence Select Committee should be heeded and acted upon. The Government must not only take note. It must take the necessary action.