Hugh demands answers

HUGH ROBERTSON ACCUSES No 10 OF BEING DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR EQUIPMENT SHORTAGES

Hugh Robertson who was an army officer during the first Gulf War, has today blamed No 10’s lack of leadership over the war with Iraq for the equipment shortages suffered by the troops on the front line.

Hugh said: “We had already heard from Mrs Roberts that the lack of body armour cost the life of her husband. There are a number of other similar cases currently being investigated.

“The government has also never satisfactorily answered the question of why tanks were sent into action without the correct nuclear, biological and chemical filters when this was the Prime Minister’s principal reason for going to war.

“However, in addition, we now know, as a result of Sir Kevin Tebbit’s evidence to the Select Committee and the remarks of the Commanding Officer of the Black Watch, that the short lead time to war prevented the proper build up of stores and equipment. In other words, the need for No 10 to keep its own backbenchers happy, prevented the proper preparations being made.

“There is no more serious action a country can take than to commit its armed forces to war. It is now clear that the government put political imperatives above the proper preparations for our armed forces.”