Labour invested in our troops

Oct 17 2008 by Stef Lach, Kilmarnock Standard

I RETIRED from the Armed Forces in July of this year after 31 years’ loyal service to my country, and as a veteran I was disgusted to read yet another venomous letter from the bilious Mr Houston (Kilmarnock Standard, October 10).

I was surprised to discover Mr Houston does not believe in the democratic accountability of MPs, as he criticises Des Browne for being MP and a member of the Cabinet.

I can only suppose from his letter that Mr Houston would prefer unknown, unelected, and unaccountable anybodies wielding ministerial power.

Mr Houston often writes to the Standard to criticise, but never seems to put forward any alternative policies or actions to today’s problems.

He’s never commented on the council’s school closures, free school meals, council workers losing their jobs, or the Salmond government’s broken election pledges.

I am extremely proud to have served under Des Browne as defence secretary. I’m actually proud to have served under all the Labour defence secretaries since 1997, because Labour over the past 10 years has invested huge amounts of money into equipment and accommodation for the troops.

I know this for a fact, I was there!

It was Labour who invested in state-of-the-art equipment and started the new-build programme for accommodation for single personnel and renovation of married family housing left to rot and decay in the Tory years, and the opening up the modern, world-class Defence Military Hospital wing in Birmingham.

I don’t think I’ve ever met Mr Houston, but if he has genuine criticisms of our hard-working MP, let him come forward and put his alternative policies and proposals up to public scrutiny, otherwise step aside and let the rest of the world get on with the job of making all our communities safe.

– David Meechan, Kilmarnock.