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UK has enough helicopters - Brown UK has enough helicopters - Brown
(about 4 hours 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. Later, the Ministry of Defence said another British soldier had been killed in Afghanistan - the 19th this month.
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." The soldier, from the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, was killed by an explosion while on patrol in Helmand province in the south of the country.
Earlier, amid an on-going political row over resources for the Afghan operation, Lord Malloch-Brown had told the Daily Telegraph that "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 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". 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".
The Lib Dems said the minister was "right the first time" and the clarification made him look "completely dotty".The Lib Dems said the minister was "right the first time" and the clarification made him look "completely dotty".
Spokesman Nick Harvey said: "It's perfectly clear to everybody there are not enough helicopters there .. I don't think anybody's going to be fooled by this blatant attempt to brush it all under the carpet."Spokesman Nick Harvey said: "It's perfectly clear to everybody there are not enough helicopters there .. I don't think anybody's going to be fooled by this blatant attempt to brush it all under the carpet."
For the operation we are doing at the moment we have the helicopters we need Gordon Brown Afghan resources 'are sufficient' Brown prepared for media barrageFor the operation we are doing at the moment we have the helicopters we need Gordon Brown Afghan resources 'are sufficient' Brown prepared for media barrage
And shadow defence secretary Dr Liam Fox said the government had not "properly equipped" troops, adding: "Lord Malloch Brown was right to make his criticism, but now we see the pathetic spectacle of him rowing back under pressure from Number 10. And shadow defence secretary Dr Liam Fox said the government had not "properly equipped" troops, adding: "Lord Malloch-Brown was right to make his criticism, but now we see the pathetic spectacle of him rowing back under pressure from Number 10.
"It is now clear that the harm this government fears most is to its own reputation, not our national interest, or that of our armed forces.""It is now clear that the harm this government fears most is to its own reputation, not our national interest, or that of our armed forces."
At his press conference Mr Brown said he had not "personally talked to Lord Malloch Brown" before the statement was issued. At his press conference Mr Brown said he had not "personally talked to Lord Malloch-Brown" before the statement was issued.
He was also 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.He was also 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.
Panther's ClawPanther's Claw
The prime minister 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.The prime minister 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.
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.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.
"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.""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."
FROM THE WORLD AT ONE More from the World At OneFROM THE WORLD AT ONE More from the World At One
He added: "For the operation we are doing at the moment we have the helicopters we need."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.
He also said it was "not correct" to say he had rejected military chiefs' preferred option to send more troops to Afghanistan for the operation. A "number of options" had been on the table, he said.He also said it was "not correct" to say he had rejected military chiefs' preferred option to send more troops to Afghanistan for the operation. A "number of options" had been on the table, 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".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".
"I am satisfied that operation Panther's Claw has the resources it needs to be successful," he said."I am satisfied that operation Panther's Claw has the resources it needs to be successful," he said.
'Insufficiently resourced''Insufficiently resourced'
But Brigadier Ed Butler, the commander of British forces in Afghanistan in 2006, told the BBC Lord Malloch Brown's original comments "represent the wider view both politically and militarily that there are insufficient resources on the larger scale to complete the current task in Afghanistan". But Brigadier Ed Butler, the commander of British forces in Afghanistan in 2006, told the BBC Lord Malloch-Brown's original comments "represent the wider view both politically and militarily that there are insufficient resources on the larger scale to complete the current task in Afghanistan".
He said Mr Brown's reassurances appeared to be focused specifically on Operation Panther's Claw, but added: "I think the wider campaign in Afghanistan - and this has been the case from the early days - has been insufficiently resourced to undertake a proper counter-insurgency."He said Mr Brown's reassurances appeared to be focused specifically on Operation Panther's Claw, but added: "I think the wider campaign in Afghanistan - and this has been the case from the early days - has been insufficiently resourced to undertake a proper counter-insurgency."
He said he had "made it very clear from the word go" to the Ministry of Defence they had in 2006 "only just enough to do the job at hand and certainly that would not take any account of the Taliban taking the fight to us".He said he had "made it very clear from the word go" to the Ministry of Defence they had in 2006 "only just enough to do the job at hand and certainly that would not take any account of the Taliban taking the fight to us".
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.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.