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Trident: former first sea lord criticises armed forces chief for Corbyn remarks Trident: armed forces chief will not be disciplined over Corbyn remarks
(about 4 hours later)
Former first sea lord Alan West has said it was highly likely he would resign the Labour whip if the party adopted a policy of unilateral nuclear disarmament, saying the deterrent was essential to keep Britain safe. Downing Street has indicated that the head of the armed forces will not face disciplinary action after he said Jeremy Corbyn’s policy on Trident would undermine the credibility of Britain’s nuclear deterrent.
But Lord West criticised the current chief of the defence staff, Gen Sir Nicholas Houghton, for comments he made on Sunday in which he said he was worried by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s statement that he would never use nuclear weapons. Corbyn’s remarks defeated the purpose of the nuclear deterrent, Houghton said on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show. “It would worry me if that thought was translated into power,” he said. The prime minister’s official spokeswoman said it was “reasonable” for General Sir Nicholas Houghton, as the government’s senior military adviser, to speak publicly on the issue.
Corbyn is expected to write to the Ministry of Defence to demand an apology, saying it is wrong for a serving member of the military to involve themselves in political issues. West agreed Houghton had been lured into saying things he should not have expressed, saying: “Maybe he strayed a little further than he should have done”. Corbyn has written to the defence secretary, Michael Fallon, asking him to rein in the chief of defence staff. The Labour leader regards Houghton’s comment as an unacceptable breach of the principle that the military do not interfere in politics.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Monday, West said: “We (military figures) tend to say things as we see rather than spinning them or being clever with our words.” But Cameron’s spokeswoman said: “The chief of the armed forces … made a point about the credibility of the deterrent. He made clear he wasn’t talking about a personal thing.
“He was trying to be careful but he got bluffed into saying a little bit more than he should have done.” “He was asked about the deterrent. He made a point about the credibility of the deterrent. And as the principal military adviser to the government, it’s reasonable for the chief of defence staff to talk about how we maintain the credibility of one of the most important tools in our armoury.”
The peer said no action was needed against Houghton other than to advise him to “be careful”. The row erupted on Remembrance Sunday, hours after Corbyn and Houghton laid wreaths in memory of Britain’s war dead at the Cenotaph in Whitehall. Corbyn has previously said he would never authorise the use of Trident. Houghton said on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show that the Labour leader’s stance defeated the purpose of the nuclear deterrent. “It would worry me if that thought was translated into power,” he said.
He claimed that Houghton had been naive in being walked into answering a question he should not have answered, but insisted the issue had been overblown. On Monday the former first sea lord Alan West, said it was highly likely he would resign the Labour whip if the party adopted a policy of unilateral nuclear disarmament, saying the deterrent was essential to keep Britain safe.
But Lord West criticised Houghton for his comments. West agreed that Houghton had been lured into saying things he should not have expressed, saying: “Maybe he strayed a little further than he should have done.”
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, West said: “We [military figures] tend to say things as we see rather than spinning them or being clever with our words. He was trying to be careful but he got bluffed into saying a little bit more than he should have done.”
The peer said no action was needed against Houghton other than to advise him to “be careful”. He said Houghton had been naive, walking into answering a question he should not have answered, but insisted the issue had been overblown.
Corbyn found an unexpected ally in the Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan, who tweeted:Corbyn found an unexpected ally in the Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan, who tweeted:
Serving generals shouldn't ever - ever - involve themselves in politics. It's something that distinguishes Britain from Burma.Serving generals shouldn't ever - ever - involve themselves in politics. It's something that distinguishes Britain from Burma.
The row over UK defence policy and the attitude of the Labour leader to the armed forces, including the memory of the war dead, continued when Nigel Farage said Corbyn should have bowed more deeply at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday. The Sun newspaper also claimed Corbyn had insulted the war dead by failing to bow his head more deeply when he laid his wreath. On Sunday Nigel Farage said Corbyn should have bowed more deeply at the Cenotaph. The Sun newspaper also claimed Corbyn had insulted the war dead by failing to bow more deeply when he laid his wreath.
The Ukip leader said Corbyn’s behaviour was not acceptable. He told LBC: “Every piece of his body language showed he did not want to be there. If you are going to turn up, you play the game. If you won’t, don’t bother to turn up.” He added Corbyn’s behaviour was similar to his attitude to the armed forces at the Battle of Britain memorial. Farage said Corbyn’s behaviour was not acceptable. The Ukip leader told LBC: “Every piece of his body language showed he did not want to be there. If you are going to turn up, you play the game. If you won’t, don’t bother to turn up.”
Ukip is fighting Labour in the Oldham West and Royton byelection in December and has been doing all it can to portray Corbyn as unpatriotic.Ukip is fighting Labour in the Oldham West and Royton byelection in December and has been doing all it can to portray Corbyn as unpatriotic.
Corbyn turned up at the Cenotaph in a dark suit wearing a red poppy and stayed behind after the service to talk to former servicemen informally, rather than attending a formal lunch. Corbyn turned up at the Cenotaph in a dark suit and wearing a red poppy, and stayed behind after the service to talk to former servicemen informally rather than attending a formal lunch.
Writing in the Daily Telegraph, the paper’s former editor Charles Moore refused to join the criticism, saying: “There was nothing wrong with his slight bow, he wore unobjectionable clothes, a red poppy and a respectful expression.”Writing in the Daily Telegraph, the paper’s former editor Charles Moore refused to join the criticism, saying: “There was nothing wrong with his slight bow, he wore unobjectionable clothes, a red poppy and a respectful expression.”
Corbyn’s views are close to pacifist, but he has defended the second world war as a fight against fascism.Corbyn’s views are close to pacifist, but he has defended the second world war as a fight against fascism.