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UK has enough helicopters - Brown UK has enough helicopters - Brown
(20 minutes later)
Gordon Brown has said the UK has enough helicopters for an offensive in Helmand - and said lives lost during the past month were not due to a shortage.Gordon Brown has said the UK has enough helicopters for an offensive in Helmand - and said lives lost during the past month were not due to a shortage.
It comes after Foreign Office minister Lord Malloch Brown rowed back on comments in a newspaper interview that the UK did not have enough helicopters.It comes after Foreign Office minister Lord Malloch Brown rowed back on comments in a newspaper interview that the UK did not have enough helicopters.
The PM said the minister had "corrected any misrepresentation" of his comments.The PM said the minister had "corrected any misrepresentation" of his comments.
"For the operation we are doing at the moment we have the helicopters that we need," Mr Brown told a news conference."For the operation we are doing at the moment we have the helicopters that we need," Mr Brown told a news conference.
Amid an on-going political row over resources, Lord Malloch Brown had said in an interview with the Daily Telegraph: "We definitely don't have enough helicopters."Amid an on-going political row over resources, Lord Malloch Brown had said in an interview with the Daily Telegraph: "We definitely don't have enough helicopters."
Comments clarifiedComments clarified
But in a statement issued by the Foreign Office on Wednesday morning, Lord Malloch Brown, who is stepping down as a minister this month, said: "It is important that I clarify the comments that are reported in today's Daily Telegraph. But in a statement issued by the Foreign Office on Wednesday morning, Lord Malloch Brown, who is stepping down as a minister this month, said he had been "making the point ... that while there are without doubt sufficient resources in place for current operations, we should always do what we can to make more available on the frontline".
"On the issue of helicopters in Afghanistan, I was making the point - as the prime minister and commanders on the ground have also done - that while there are without doubt sufficient resources in place for current operations, we should always do what we can to make more available on the frontline." The Lib Dems said the minister was "right the first time" and the clarification made him look "completely dotty".
It is completely wrong to say this operation, Operation Panther's Claw, is under resourced and under provided for Gordon Brown Afghan resources 'are sufficient' For the operation we are doing at the moment we have the helicopters we need Gordon Brown Afghan resources 'are sufficient'
There have been suggestions he came under pressure to tone down his comments, ahead of the prime minister's press conference. There have been suggestions Lord Malloch Brown came under pressure to tone down his comments, ahead of the prime minister's press conference.
But Mr Brown said he had not "personally talked to Lord Malloch Brown" before the statement was issued.But Mr Brown said he had not "personally talked to Lord Malloch Brown" before the statement was issued.
Asked about comments made in the past week by chief of the defence staff, Sir Jock Stirrup and the head of the Army, Gen Sir Richard Dannatt about the need for more resources, Mr Brown said it was important to listen to "people on the ground".Asked about comments made in the past week by chief of the defence staff, Sir Jock Stirrup and the head of the Army, Gen Sir Richard Dannatt about the need for more resources, Mr Brown said it was important to listen to "people on the ground".
Panther's ClawPanther's Claw
He said people had been calling for "more helicopters in general" and said more Merlin helicopters would be in Afghanistan by the end of the year, more Chinooks next year and numbers had already increased by 60% over two years. He said more Merlin helicopters would be in Afghanistan by the end of the year, more Chinooks next year and numbers had already increased by 60% over two years.
But he said: "I am satisfied that operation Panther's Claw has the resources it needs to be successful." Challenged that more helicopters would "patently" save troops' lives, Mr Brown replied: "More helicopters in general, yes. That is why we are putting them, of course, into Afghanistan. More helicopters are being ordered for Afghanistan.
"The fact we are making progress at the moment ... shows that that is the case." "But in the operations we are having at the moment it is completely wrong to say that the loss of lives has been caused by the absence of helicopters."
He added: "For the operation we are doing at the moment we have the helicopters we need."
He referred to comments made by Air Commodore Simon Falla, the chief of staff joint helicopter command, who had said there was a "pretty big" pool of helicopters and more than many countries.He referred to comments made by Air Commodore Simon Falla, the chief of staff joint helicopter command, who had said there was a "pretty big" pool of helicopters and more than many countries.
"It is completely wrong to say this operation, Operation Panther's Claw, is under resourced and under provided for," he said. Mr Brown added that Operation Panther's Claw, the offensive against insurgent strongholds in Helmand which has claimed the lives of 18 UK servicemen this month, was "making progress".
Eighteen UK servicemen have died this month in Afghanistan. Most of the British Army's casualties during the Helmand offensive - aimed at shoring up security ahead of elections scheduled for next month - have been caused by roadside bombs. "I am satisfied that operation Panther's Claw has the resources it needs to be successful," he said.
Most of the British Army's casualties during the Helmand offensive - aimed at shoring up security ahead of elections scheduled for next month - have been caused by roadside bombs.
Critics believe troops are more vulnerable to these makeshift explosives because they are being forced to travel over ground and not by air.Critics believe troops are more vulnerable to these makeshift explosives because they are being forced to travel over ground and not by air.