NEWS RELEASE

The United Kingdom National Defence Association (UKNDA) has renewed its call for an increase in the defence budget to ensure that our Armed Forces have “sufficient and appropriate equipment”, but has warned of the “dangerous precedent” set by Friday’s High Court ruling on the rights of Services personnel under the Human Rights Act.

Commenting on the High Court ruling, Commander John Muxworthy, Chief Executive of the UKNDA, said: “We share the growing concern about avoidable deaths caused by equipment failures, as highlighted by recent coroners’ reports. These tragedies are the direct result of years of chronic under-funding of our Armed Forces. It can only be avoided in future by addressing the funding problem now and by ensuring that our Forces have sufficient and appropriate equipment for the tasks we set them.

“However, we are also concerned about the dangerous precedent set by Friday’s High Court ruling. Commanding Officers in operational situations must not be hamstrung or distracted by the threat of a legal challenge under the Human Rights Act. They must follow their formal Rules of Engagement and should not be forced to agonise over whether or not they are breaching their troops’ human rights. This legislation, intended for use within the United Kingdom in peacetime, does not sit comfortably with the needs of combat situations in Iraq and Afghanistan, where our Forces are fighting a ruthless enemy. Our soldiers and other military personnel know the risks they have to take, and accept them.”

Cdr Muxworthy continued: “The real issue is Defence funding and the need to provide our Servicemen with sufficient and appropriate equipment. By neglecting Defence our politicians have failed to honour the Nation’s Covenant with our Armed Forces. This is not good enough when Ministers are risking the lives of British Servicemen on a daily basis and when so many of the fatalities in Iraq and Afghanistan are down to equipment failures and shortages. We are paying the price of Defence under-spending with the blood of our troops.”

The UKNDA was launched in November 2007 to campaign in support of Britain’s Armed Forces. Its President is Winston S Churchill, former war correspondent and MP, and the grandson of Britain’s wartime leader. Its Patrons include three former Chiefs of the Defence Staff – Lords Guthrie, Craig and Boyce – as well as the former Labour Foreign Secretary Lord Owen and former Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Menzies Campbell. UKNDA is calling for a 40% increase in the Defence budget, to bring spending on the Armed Forces up to at least 3% of GDP. 

-Ends

For further information please contact:

Cdr. John Muxworthy, CEO, UKNDA, tel 01264 860693, email ceo@uknda.org

or Andy Smith, PRO, UKNDA, tel: 07737 271676, email pro@uknda.org