Rother Valley MP says Labour will give armed forces the support they deserve

As a nation, we in Britain are rightly proud of our highly-skilled servicemen and women, ready at a moment’s notice to do whatever is necessary to defend the country, writes Sir Kevin Barron MP.
Sir Kevin Barron MPSir Kevin Barron MP
Sir Kevin Barron MP

We in Parliament have an important duty to ensure that our armed forces, our veterans, and their families, have the very best support.

But after nearly a decade of cuts and privatisation by the Conservatives, in my view Britain’s armed forces and their families are paying the price.

The Government has delivered short-sighted defence cuts and failed privatisations that have let down personnel and taxpayers alike.

Sir Kevin Barron MPSir Kevin Barron MP
Sir Kevin Barron MP

The Conservative government has cut the pay of servicemen and women, outsourced services to private companies, and left many living in service accommodation with leaking roofs, broken boilers and appliances that don’t work.

The next Labour government will guarantee a better deal for servicemen and women.

It will lift the public sector pay cap and give personnel a fair pay rise.

It will ensure that all service members have access to decent accommodation, without the threat of being forced into the private rented sector.

It will give personnel a voice and consult on introducing an armed forces’ represent-ative body.

It will scrap the outsourcing deals that do not deliver.

And it will ensure that all service children can get a good school place.

Those who serve our country deserve our full and unwavering support.

The next Labour government will put the needs of the armed forces community at the very heart of what it does.