Today, is Armed Forces Day and across the UK, people have been taking the time to show their tanks to veterans and those currently serving in uniform. Throughout the morning and early afternoon we have had events and stalls in the Memorial Gardens marking the day.
Over the last seven years, our region has contributed 13,290 recruits into the armed forces, the largest figure of any part of the UK and as a town we’ve long done our best to try to recognise people’s service with action, not just words.
Crawley was one of the first local authorities to adopt the community covenant with the armed forces, one of the first to introduce a guaranteed interview scheme for veterans at the Town Hall, and it was Crawley councillors who successfully persuaded West Sussex County Council to do the same. We also took the decision to recognise Crawley residents who lost their lives in recent conflicts in the naming of new buildings and roads in the town, ensuring that their sacrifice isn’t lost.
As a Labour councillor, I was proud to play a leading role in every one of these decisions, because I believed in the importance of the community supporting those who choose to serve. After all, our ability to live our lives peacefully stems directly from there being those prepared to defend us from those who would do us harm.
Unfortunately, over the last 13 years the current Government has cut the Army to its smallest size size Napoleon and hollowed out the forces as a whole. If cuts are continued we will no longer be able to meet our NATO obligations, despite Ukraine highlighting that war in Europe is not just limited to history books.
In Crawley we led with action, not just words and now we need the same from central government. We have personnel living in damp and mouldy housing, satisfaction with service life has fallen well below 50%, and retention rates are dropping.
It’s time to fully incorporate the Armed Forces Covenant into law and strengthen support for veterans–with a boost to specialist support and a plan to bring down waiting times for veteran’s mental health services as part of a £1bn commitment to ensure everyone receives treatment within a month.
It’s easy for politicians to drape themselves in the flag and proclaim their support for the armed forces, but support in words without support in action is no support at all. It’s time for action and after 13 years of failure, it seems clear that delivering that change in government will require us all to first deliver a change of government.
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Peter Lamb for Crawley 