More trouble for the government over the military covenant

The news that serving soldiers have been given notice by email has been met fury from ministers. Liam Fox has answered questions in the House about this story and why 100 RAF pilots discovered they were redundant in yesterday’s newspapers. Fox was both livid and contrite, decrying the ‘completely unacceptable’ practices and reiterating the MoD’s ‘unreserved apologies’. He announced that an internal inquiry has been called, which Patrick Mercer believes will expose negligence among those officers who manage personnel. Fox also conceded that the sacked pilots, many of whom were ‘hours from obtaining qualification’, cannot be retained in some form of volunteer reserve, such is the squeeze on the MoD. This enabled Fox to attack the reckless conceit of ‘no boom and bust’, and, less vocally, the timeless incompetence of MoD procurement.

It was an adept performance. But the government is fast developing a reputation for neglecting the military covenant, something the Tories championed in opposition. Last week, there were reports about the poor quality of care for veterans and newspapers ran profiles (£) of hard-pressed army wives, revealing that many of our servicemen’s families still live in poverty. Meanwhile, colossal administrative waste continues and Mi6 has an artist in residence*, a rather good one as it happens.

These contradictions are unhealthy – although Labour’s attempts to capitalise are attended by a particularly sharp irony, considering the party’s recent record on this issue. The last government strained under criticism of its relationship with the services; so is this one.

*Though I should point out that he was not paid; but, I think it’s a question of priorities and presentation.