My week ahead, 17 - 22 November 2014

Wednesday – 19 November, 2pm – Labour campaigning in East Ipswich
6pm - Ipswich Borough Council – Full Council meeting

Thursday 20 November, 10am – Suffolk Labour media training

Saturday 22 November, 10am - Labour campaigning in South East Ipswich

On Friday I attended the first Military Veterans event organised by the councils involved with the Suffolk Military Community Covenant, and the event seemed to me to be a great success with a good turnout of veterans, regular and reserve troops and various charities and agencies that work with or on behalf of veterans and the military community.

Much of the success was down to the work of Jim Brown, a County Officer (and a veteran in his own right) who had not only got the right people on board but also made sure veterans knew about the event.

Veterans do not want something for nothing just what they deserve with the recognition that many of their needs are different to the rest of the population, but we are not just after a hand out. Many of those representing charities and agencies were veterans themselves or family members. As I arrived as Trinity Park I was met on reception by a former member of my regiment who had taken a day’s holiday from his job to help man the reception. Ex soldiers will always be the first to help former soldiers.

We will hope to repeat the event in 2015, next time in the west of the county. I felt privileged to attend and to have been able to secure some funding from the Mayor of Ipswich towards hosting the day.

Planning for Defence

On Tuesday, I was a Westminster meeting the Shadow Defence Secretary Vernon Coaker and his team. The meeting was held in the cosy but still impressive surrounds of the Shadow Cabinet room.

The meeting was arranged so that Vernon could get the views of members of ‘Labour Friends of the Forces’.

As well as myself, there were three other members present, two of who are Parliamentary candidates for next General election the other member is a wife of a serving soldier.

We had a detailed and frank conversation about what we saw as concerns for both current members of the Armed Forces and veterans but not forgetting their families.

Before the last election the Tories made much of their promise to repair the Military Covenant, not that many soldiers I know of actually knew there was such thing as the covenant! But those members of the armed forces who did vote for the Tories based on their promises must have been very disappointed when all they seemed to have delivered on defence is a smaller armed forces and thousands of redundancy notices.

So I find it very encouraging that this meeting was held (a continuation of the good work, Jim Murphy had started) and the promise of further meetings as we approach 2015 and more importantly to me that these meetings will continue after we hope Labour have regained power.

NHS, Education, energy policy – many reasons why this country needs a Labour Government, but now you can add defence to that list. Dr Liam Fox was a disaster at the MOD but from those I spoke to at Westminster on Tuesday, many believe Hammond is not much of an improvement and that view is also held by a number of Tory MP’s in particular those who have close links to the military.

Just before the meeting, I bumped into one of my former officers, he was on a ‘smoke break’ from the Main MOD building, from the short conversation I had with him, I could see the cuts to defence had hit soldiers morale and he for one saw that the army would now struggle to be able to attract some of our finest young men and women as it could no longer offer the career prospects it has in the past.

My week ahead 11 - 17 November 2013

Monday – 11 November, 11am – Remembrance Day with the Mayor and Ipswich school children, Ipswich Cemetery

6pm – Labour campaigning

Tuesday – 12 November, 9am – Suffolk Military Covenant Meeting, Rock Barracks – Woodbridge

7pm – North East Area Committee – St Johns Church

Saturday 16 November, 10am – Labour campaigning, South East Ipswich

The main remembrance service was today but tomorrow is also important as primary children join the Mayor at the Military part of Ipswich cemetery to remember those from Ipswich who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

On Tuesday, I will also be attending a meeting to look at how Suffolk are implementing the Military Covenant, it is important that we take today to remember our Armed Forces but many of our veterans need help all year round and as a council that has signed up to the military covenant we will be doing all we can to help both those still serving and our veterans.

On Tuesday we have our next Area Committee meeting, now it does seem that the Tories are now attempting to get more involved in the workings of the committee but at the same time they are still critical of them in public. One complaint is that some meetings see little participation from residents and the attendance can be low. But over the last few weeks the Tories have put out leaflets in Bixley and North West Ipswich but no mention of area committees or advertising future meetings but what they are willing ro do is take the credit for actions that the area committee have undertaken. In Bixley they have mentioned the St Clements public meeting but no mention that it was organised by the area committee, similar to work being undertaken at local parks and activities for both our young and old that have been funded by the area committee.

So why not advertise future meetings in their leaflets? Scared that if the public see them in action they will soon realise that the local Tories are like a rudderless ship , no leader, no political direction.

Proud to be named as Veterans Champion

Labour yesterday launched a campaign to urge Local Authorities to have Veterans Champions, a dedicated person at each council to help service-leavers resettle in to civilian life.

I am proud to have been chosen to be the Veterans Champion in Ipswich.

At the campaign launch yesterday, Jim Murphy MP, Labour’s Shadow Defence Secretary, who I have met through my involvement in Labour Friends of the Forces. stated:

“Our country is brilliant at turning civilians into soldiers, but we are not good enough when the time comes to turning soldiers back into civilians.

“Transition from military to civilian life can be difficult and distressing. A one-stop-shop for access to services and entitlements would make an enormous difference.

“A Veterans Champion would help those who have performed heroics overseas find a new home or job back home.

“Each council could take this step in a way that best serves local needs. We want to strengthen the bond between civilian and military communities, making the Military Covenant a reality for everyone.”

I know there are specific issues that face armed services personnel moving back into civilian life. They often have been living in services accommodation, and need to find housing. There are issues with schools, social services – the aim is that there should be someone who can be a focus for their issues and can help them when needed.”


Veterans or armed services personnel can contact me via Ipswich Borough Council, Ipswich Labour Party or email: alasdair.ross@councillors.ipswich.gov.uk

Happy Christmas Rushmere residents

As 2012 draws to a close, I would like to wish everyone in Rushmere Ward, Ipswich a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I would also like to thank all our local community leaders, groups and organisations who I have worked with this year. I am particularly grateful to Sidegate Primary School and the 6th Form pupils at Copleston High school, whom have really shown Ipswich at its best, during both my visits to their schools and when the Copleston pupils came to speak to the North East Area Committee.

I hope to continue to work with them next year and to forge closer ties with Northgate High School, Rushmere Hall Primary School, St John’s Primary School and other local community groups.

Beyond Rushmere and Ipswich I have continued to campaign on behalf of our Armed Forces and Service veterans, it was a great pleasure to see Ipswich join the County Council and sign the Military Covenant.

There is no doubt that there is a far better relationship now between local communities and the Armed Forces than when I first joined the army and we saw that here in Ipswich quite recently when we hosted the Royal Anglian Homecoming parade.

In 2013 I will continue to campaign for our Armed Forces and veterans so with that in mind I have attached a Christmas picture from my former regiment, The Royal Green Jackets showing an earlier time when the local community and the Armed Forces got on well.

My week ahead 7- 13 November

Monday 7 November 11am - Launch of i-card for HM Forces, Fore Street Swimming pool

6pm - Campaigning in St Margaret's Ward

Tuesday 8 November 9.15am - St James Palace, Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award presentation.

Wednesday 9 November 9am - Planning committee, speaking on behalf of residents.

Thursday 10 November 7am - St Margaret's by-election

Saturday 11 November 10.30am - Campaigning in East Ipswich

Sunday 12 November 11am - Armistice Parade, Christchurch Park.

Seemed to find myself spending every spare minute this week talking to residents in St Margaret's Ward. There is no doubt that speaking to residents is the best way to find out what people care and worry about in this great town. I am sure all three political groups would agree that talking to residents is the best and right thing to do, but even if they do agree the Tories seem to be carrying on from the Borough election in May and only attempting to talk to their own supporters.

The other big event this week for me was representing the council at a conference looking at building closer links between the military and civilian communities - more on that here.

Tory Veterans Minister- out of touch with Armed Forces

David Ellesmere , soldiers and tickets to watch Jools

Tory Veterans Minister - out of touch with Armed Forces? - Some would say no surprise that a Minister is out of touch with those who he is meant to represent, but I was surprised how much Tory Minister, Andrew Robathan was out of touch with not only veterans but serving members of our Armed Forces. Why surprised? Mr Robathan is a veteran himself. Without being seen to be playing the class card it may be as an ex Guards Officer he does not understand the pressures that both serving soldiers and veterans are living under.



Andrew Robathan - out of touch?

I attended the Local Government Association sponsored conference in London on Tuesday. It was attended by councillors and council officers from all over England plus representatives from the Ministry of Defence, serving soldiers plus representatives from Service charities.

Most of the councils represented were County Councils and the idea of the conference was to get councils to sign up for the Community Covenant Scheme. Hampshire, Oxfordshire and North Yorkshire have led the way. By signing up you are able to access grants from the MOD to help both the local and Military communities.

Disappointingly Suffolk County Council did not attend but I represented Ipswich Borough Council and we will be looking at joining the Community Covenant Scheme. We have already started working closely with our local military units. On Saturday a number of troops from Wattisham received free tickets to see Jools Holland at the Regent and next week those who reside in Ipswich will get access to our sports facilities. Most of the troops residing in Suffolk live in our more rural districts and the County Council would be best placed to set up a scheme with the military. But as Suffolk seem more keen on getting rid of the services it is already responsible for it seems unlikely they will want to commit to the scheme.

I was fortunate to be able to ask the Veterans Minister a question and then get into a discussion with General Rollo, the senior soldier presentm both my questions led to further debate.



General Rollo, waiting for my question?

Most of the councils were Tory run, and I expect that Mr Robathan expected an easy ride but that did not happen. Mr Robathan was quick to boast about how the Tory Government had doubled the Operational Allowance, a Tory councillor from Huntingdon (and a veteran) was quick to tell the Minister that this increase had come at the same time that many other military allowances were being cut, including Disturbance Allowance and grants for education.

The Minister was then warned by Dawn McCafferty, chairman of the RAF Families Federation, about the impact of redundancies and cuts to allowances on service personnel.

She told the Local Government Association conference on the covenant that many were "keeping their heads down" in an attempt to avoid the next rounds of job cuts.

"Families are hurting and actually the covenant doesn't mean a great deal to those who have just received a redundancy notice," she said.

This was disappointing to hear and I hope the Minister took note but as he did not stay for the afternoon session, I am not sure he understood how many in the military and those working for military charities feel totally let down by the Tory Government.

What was good, is that many in the Ministry of Defence are keen to work with local councils to improve the lives of those in the military, veterans and their families.

You can be certain that Ipswich Borough council will be playing it's part.

Cameron breaks promises to Armed Forces.

The Conservatives have rightly come under some fierce criticism for their failure to deliver the promises they made to the Armed Forces before the election. Both Channel 4 News and the local Ipswich Evening Star asked me for my views on the Tories failure to stick to pre election promises on what they would do to make the Military Covenant law.

Here is my piece that I wrote for the Channel 4 News website:

I am sure today many soldiers will be sitting in their Units feeling they have been used by this Government - not used as in the way they would expect to be used- serving their country in Afghanistan, the Gulf, the Balkans but used by Cameron - as a publicity stunt.

The Tories claimed that Labour had broken the Military Covenant and that they would make sure it became law - yesterday they broke that promise - all we will get now is a report every year about the covenant.

Cameron also probably gained many votes off servicemen and veterans when he increased the operational allowance (an allowance introduced by labour) but what he forgot to say, whilst making his speech in June on HMS Ark Royal (scrapped) is that pay would be frozen and other allowances cut and scrapped. All with far more speed than it has taken to cut the allowances to MP's and the Lords

When I served in the Army, I had a decision to make when my daughter reached 11, would I put her in boarding school or move back to my home town. I chose my home town and I was able to do with help from the army through the 'Over 37' package, this gave me assistance in getting home once a month to see my family, and for them to settle down before I had to leave the forces at 40. that package is to be scrapped and also the boarding school allowance is to be cut.

So the only choice would be to leave your child in a Forces school, and that mean every two years they would change school- so much for looking after Forces families. There was talk from the Tories of paying for soldiers children to go to university, well if a child has to move schools every two years there would be little possibility if any child gained the academic qualifications to get into university.

Today many of my ex comrades feel used- used by Cameron in a cheap election gimmick.

On the Channel 4 News blog here, you can read by piece

Military Covenant - Tories break it already

The Tories campaigned during the last election on how they were going to mend the Military Covenant. Britain has a 'duty of care' to its armed forces. This began as an unspoken pact between society and the military, possibly originating as far back as Henry VIII's reign. The pact was formally codified as a 'covenant' in 2000 (by the Labour Government). It is not a law but is reinforced by custom and convention.

The Tories accused the Labour Government of breaking the Covenant and told everyone how they were going to mend it - so what have they done!

Well they have not done much but they have told us what they are going to do - cut pensions to War Widows and injured soldiers - George Osborne the Tory Chancellor has announced the proposed changes, it has even caused the Head of the Armed Forces to say that 'War widows and injured soldiers must be protected against the "worst excesses" of the coalition's cuts to pensions'

I was fortunate to serve alongside and get to know two brave young soldiers who lost their lives in Sangin, Afghanistan in 2009 both were married and joined the tour late as they stayed behind in the UK for a few weeks as their young wives were both pregnant. A week after their babies were born they flew out to join us. This Tory Government is now saying if those young widows remarry, they will lose their War Widow pension. If that is not breaking the Military Covenant, I don't know what is: The Covenant states: " British soldiers must always be able to expect fair treatment, to be valued and respected as individuals, and that they (and their families) will be sustained and rewarded by commensurate terms and conditions of service."




I was also fortunate to work alongside Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid, who lost his life on bomb disposal duty, his wife Christina spoke eloquently after his death, and captured the feeling of many families who have lost loved ones. Now Osborne and the Tories want to cut her pension.

It is nothing more than a disgrace!

The Armed Forces- Why can't we get the Labour message over?

Last week saw the publication of the Independent National Recognition of the Armed Forces study by Quentin Davies MP. This saw some excellent initiatives and also highlighted what this Labour Government has already done for our Armed Forces. The report makes 40 recommendations, the key ones being:

• Greater encouragement for the military to wear uniforms in public where circumstances and Service rules allow;


• Creating a British Armed Forces and Veterans Day;


• Supporting extra Local Authority engagement for Homecoming Parades;


• and Strengthening cadet organisations by expanding combined cadet forces in Comprehensive Schools and introducing a Cadet Ambassador in London to encourage schools to get their pupils involved in cadet forces.
  

Now I agree with all these, the Cadet issue has already been raised by Gordon Brown and I see it as a good idea- as long as the funding is there and some of the NUT do not get too upset! The uniform one is a funny one, much was made of the instruction by senior RAF officers for their personnel not to wear uniform in Peterborough- now as an ex soldier- we actually like to get out of our uniform after work, but it would be great if you could stay in uniform just to pop to the bank at lunchtime, but also as an ex Sergeant Major- you do not want to see soldiers in some sort of half uniform/half civilian shirt which is what we have at present in many garrison towns.

The report also highlights what has already been done and what is already in the pipeline- again, much as been made by the Tories about the state of Married quarters, but it was the Tories who sold off the Married quarter estate management! Secondly, times have changed and many servicemen now look to purchase their own homes much earlier. What this Government has already done for servicemen and their families includes:

• Labour agreed one of the highest pay rises in the public sector for all servicemen and women following on from last year's 9 per cent pay rise for the lowest paid private soldiers. For those on operation abroad we have introduced a tax-free monthly bonus of almost £400 and have extended council tax relief.


• Over the next ten years the Labour Government will invest over £8 billion on improving our armed forces' accommodation. This will lead to a further upgrade in accommodation after years of neglect under previous Tory governments
  

But why can't we get our message over? the Tories and Cameron came out with a Military Covenant Commission, who we have not been heard from since it's launch but who got far more press than Labour did last week with the publication of Independent National Recognition of the Armed Forces study. Was it because the Tories had a famous (if right wing) novelist on their commission or because they had a famous ex soldier in Simon Weston- or was it because our study was led by a Labour MP who jumped the Tory ship? What ever the reason is, we need to get it right, as an ex soldier I know the Tories did little for us when in power but you can't expect many ex Generals to say that once they are out of the Army and looking for a directorship at some bank/ institution. The treatment of our Armed Forces is an important matter to all the public- much can be learnt from the poem"Tommy Atkins" by Kipling on how not to treat your Armed Forces and maybe we should remember the Labour poster from 1945- that helped us to that great election win!

Lets us again make us the party that both servicemen, their families and the general public know look after their armed forces the best. As the reports states:

"Our Armed Forces are the best in the world, putting their lives at risk to protect Britain and promote peace around the world."

The Military Covenant- Tory commission- a right wing author and no money!

Frederick Forsyth- right wing friend of Mr Tebbit!

Cameron and the Tory Party are going to make the state of our Armed Forces an election issue. Over the last 12 months, much of the media has started to get rightfully behind our Armed Forces and the Tory Party have tried to make themselves seen as the party that is most in tune with the needs of the Armed Forces.

The media has made much of the supposedly broken 'Military Covenant '(with the help of a number retired Generals and Admirals who were deafeningly quiet when they themselves were in the higher echelons of the Ministry of Defence!)) Cameron has now set up a commission to look at the state of the Military Covenant, the commission is led by the right wing author- Frederick Forsyth and also includes a number of ex military men such as Simon Weston, one of the survivors from the ship that caught fire at Bluff Cove during the Falklands War.

As an ex military man, I am concerned about over stretch of our Armed Forces, I believe that we need to make sure we look after our Armed Services, their families and veterans- but that will take more money- the Tories will say they have all the answers but look at their Commission website to spot the obvious holes in their plan- the most obvious failing being at the bottom of their introductory page:

" 4. Any recommendations made by the Commission must be paid for within existing and planned defence budgets."

Well as the MOD is not just over stretched but overspent- I can't see the Tory option of repairing the Covenant but spending no money in the process is going to work!

As someone who spent most of his 24 years service under a Tory government, I remember well the times we were under equipped- with the excuses of "it went down on the Atlantic Conveyor" or "it was destroyed in the fire at Donnington" used when we were still walking round in equipment from the 50's. Simon Weston should remember more than most that the Guards Regiments left for the Falklands with blue civilian rucksacks as most of the Army was still walking round with 1958 webbing. Tory Secretary's of State for Defence never seemed to speak to the rank and file, I can remember being hid away on a range in Germany with any one else who they thought would say the wrong thing when Mr Hesseltine turned up (wearing a new combat jacket- when we were in old kit) and Nicholas Soames was only interested in a lunch in the Officers Mess with his old Eton cronies. it was not till Labour's George Robertson got into the post that the rank and file soldier were deemed worthy of meeting the minister.

The Armed Forces are not looked after better by a Tory Government and we need to get that message over not only to the general public but also to members of the Armed Forces, their families and veterans.