This country’s first ever independent Armed Forces Commissioner, a voice to champion service personnel and their families, is one step closer to reality, as it passed its third reading in the House of Commons on Tuesday 21st January.
This change, a vital one for our brave service personnel, can’t come soon enough.
The importance of the bill can’t be overstated for the people of Luton South and South Bedfordshire and across the country, and I was pleased to vote in favour.
The first duty of any Government is to keep our country safe, and at the heart of our security are the men and women who risk their lives for our nation. We are deeply proud of our Armed Forces – theirs is the ultimate form of public service – and their professionalism and bravery are rightly respected the world over.
The Armed Forces Commissioner is a central part of this Government’s plans to renew the nation’s contract with those who bravely serve.
The Commissioner will be a direct point of contact for personnel and their families to raise service issues affecting their lives, from kit, to housing, to childcare.
After 14 years of Tory hollowing out and underfunding of our Armed Forces, morale in the military fell to record lows – with just four in ten personnel reporting satisfaction. And the forces are facing a Tory-manufactured recruitment and retention crisis.
Just last month, shocking statistics revealed that nearly 5,000 members of the armed were relying on Universal Credit before the election.
This Labour Government is determined to turn this around.
We want the independent Commissioner to have proper powers to investigate issues affecting service life, make recommendations, and report to Parliament. And to have access to personnel, information, and to defence sites.
And we want them to hold us to account, too.
This Labour-run Ministry of Defence, led by Secretary of State John Healey, understands just how vital the safety and security of our forces personnel are.
Just months after we confirmed the largest pay rise for our personnel in over 20 years, this week’s Parliamentary vote shows again that we will always stand up for those who serve our country.
This Labour Government is on a mission to raise military morale. This Bill is just one step of many to right the wrongs of the last 14 years and ensure that our personnel know just how much they are valued.
People will always be at the heart of our defence plans: those who make great sacrifices to keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad will always be championed under a Labour Government.