Shame on Gordon Brown and the Labour leadership hopefuls

How can Gordon Brown look at himself in the mirror in the morning? How can he sleep at night? After he argued black was white at PMQs last week and stating that commanders on the ground did not think more helicopters were needed the two most senior military commanders have broken with convention to publicly ask for more men vehicles, and equipment.

Adding his weight to General Sir Richard Dannatt, Chief of the General Staff ‘s requests for extra equipment to keep troops safe, in what can only be described as a direct contradiction of the Prime Minister, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, the Chief of the Defence Staff yesterday gave his view on sending more helicopters to Afghanistan stating “It is quite patently the case that you could save casualties by doing that”. To add poignancy to his statement it was made in Downing Street straight after meeting Mr Brown.

Sir Jock also asked for more troops, this after Brown had vetoed an Army request for 2,000 extra troops in Afghanistan as too expensive. This vetoed request leaves blood on Brown’s hands. If we need to be there for the defence of our nation then we need to be there in sufficient numbers to achieve our military objectives whilst maximising the safety of our troops.

It is a disgrace that Brown’s mismanagement of our economy, the years of profligate spending, the confusion between expenditure and investment and the sheer arrogance with which he claimed to have abolished boom and bust leaves this country in such a dire economic state that we cannot afford to keep our troops safe.

Alan Johnson, David Miliband and Harriet Harman’s cowardice in leaving Brown in place has clearly demonstrated that they do not have the necessary courage to ever be Prime Minister of this nation. Once a general election is finally fought and this doleful government is dispatched into history one of these cowards is likely to become the next Labour leader. The public must never forget just how much they now share responsibility with Brown for keeping him in place for political and career expediency. Shame on them all.

Shame on Gordon Brown and the Labour leadership hopefuls