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Les Bonner (Free subscription) | yesterday
Commenting on reports of the loss of a hard drive containing the names and private details of around 100,000 serving armed forces personnel, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey said: “This is extremely serious news and the immediate priority must be to ensure the security of all military personnel.” “This is an unprecedented loss of [...]
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Les Bonner (Free subscription) | 04/10/2008
Commenting on today’s announcement of the appointment of John Hutton as Defence Secretary, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey said: “John Hutton will inherit a department in a state of deep crisis.” “Our Armed Forces are badly overstretched on two fronts. There is a black hole in the defence budget and a chronic lack of [...]
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Liberal Democrats (Free subscription) | 02/09/2008
Commenting on reports that relatives of some of the service personnel killed in the Afghanistan Nimrod crash in 2006 plan to take legal action against the Government, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey said: "Two years on from the tragedy, the frustration that has led the families of the Nimrod crash victims to this point is entirely understandable. "The entire Nimrod fleet was...
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Liberal Democrats (Free subscription) | 30/07/2008
Commenting on today’s Defence Select Committee report, which warns that personnel shortages in the armed forces threaten operational capabilities, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey said: "The exodus from the armed forces is now so grave as to be an issue of national security. "Serious questions must be raised over the long-term viability of the Army’s manning targets and the impact...
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Liberal Democrats (Free subscription) | 28/07/2008
Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey is to write to Des Browne demanding clarification over contradictory statements made by the MoD regarding the replacement of Britain’s nuclear warheads. This follows the release of papers under Freedom of Information laws which reveal that one of the MoD’s top civil servants told defence industry figures the decision on replacement had already...
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Liberal Democrats (Free subscription) | 21/07/2008
Commenting on the MoD’s Annual Report, published today by the Government, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey said: "This report highlights the devastating long-term impact of overstretch and the human and material cost of fighting on two fronts. "The Government has delayed withdrawal from Iraq for far too long and our forces’ readiness for operations is plummeting as a result....
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Liberal Democrats (Free subscription) | 21/07/2008
Commenting on the announcement of the terms of reference for the inquiry into the death of Iraqi civilian Baha Mousa, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey said: "Progress in this long-overdue inquiry is welcome, but its terms of reference do not appear to go far enough. "The inquiry’s terms of reference must include the training and guidelines given to all members of the armed forces...
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Liberal Democrats (Free subscription) | 11/07/2008
Commenting on the news that the Ministry of Defence has agreed to pay almost £3m in damages to Iraqis who were tortured by UK troops in Basra in 2003, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey said: "We welcome this payout. It’s high time that the Government accepted responsibility for this. "Serious questions need to be asked about what training troops were given before they were sent...
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Radio 4 - Today (Free subscription) | 04/07/2008
MPs have voted to keep their £24,000 second home allowances, but have decided not to award themselves above-inflation pay rises. Labour MP and former minister Peter Kilfoyle and Liberal Democrat MP Nick Harvey discuss the issue.
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Liberal Democrats (Free subscription) | 04/07/2008
Commenting on today’s NAO report on the MoD’s Defence Information Infrastructure Programme, which highlights delays and budget overruns, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey said: "This report is yet more evidence of the Government’s incompetence when it comes to the procurement of major IT contracts. "It is especially worrying that the risk of escalating costs threatens the MoD’s...
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Liberal Democrats (Free subscription) | 27/06/2008
Commenting on today’s NAO report on Britain’s Hercules aircraft, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey said: "This report is further evidence that our continued presence in Iraq is draining the life from equipment that is desperately needed in Afghanistan. "Overstretch and the impact of wars on two fronts has taken a heavy toll on the Hercules fleet. "As Sir Jock Stirrup said this...
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Liberal Democrats (Free subscription) | 16/06/2008
Commenting on the Government’s announcement of the deployment of further troops to Afghanistan, expected to bring the total to over 8000, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey said: "Further support for the vital work our troops are doing in Afghanistan is welcome. "However, the Government is still failing to address the pressing issue of overstretch in our armed forces. "It is becoming...
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Aberavon & Neath Liberal Democrats (Free subscription) | 10/06/2008
UK Armed Forces manning figures were published last week. Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey, said that they demonstrated that there was still a yawning recruitment gap in the British Army. "The continuing decline in the number of regular Army troops should be of grave concern to the Government. "Ministers persist in denying there is even a problem. The tail-off in recruitment and...
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Liberal Democrats (Free subscription) | 10/06/2008
Commenting on the BBC’s report that the final withdrawal of British troops from Iraq could be announced by the end of the year, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey said: "Reports of plans for the final withdrawal of British troops from Iraq are very welcome. Liberal Democrats have been pressing for this for some time. "With our forces increasingly overstretched, we simply haven’t...
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Aberavon & Neath Liberal Democrats (Free subscription) | 09/06/2008
Commenting on General Sir Richard Dannatt’s remarks on Army privates’ pay, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey said: "It is refreshing to hear the head of the Army being open about problems with soldiers’ pay while still in post. "Considering the massive sacrifices that we ask them to make, there is no doubt that our Army privates are scandalously underpaid. "Privates on the frontline...
