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Brown meets anti-war campaigner | Brown meets anti-war campaigner |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A mother who has campaigned against the war in Iraq since her soldier son was killed has met Prime Minister Gordon Brown. | |
Rose Gentle, from Glasgow, an outspoken critic of the government's handling of the war, had private talks with Mr Brown at an undisclosed location. | |
Mrs Gentle said she had a general conversation with the prime minister for about an hour. | |
She felt Mr Brown had listened to the points she had made. | |
Mrs Gentle asked Mr Brown for help to enable some Scottish families to visit the Armed Forces Memorial in Staffordshire. | |
She also asked for a memorial to be set up in Glasgow, and talked about a group called "the Siblings", which was set up by her daughter to help the sons, daughters, brothers and sisters of those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. | |
Mrs Gentle's son Gordon, of the 1st Battalion Royal Highland Fusiliers, was 19 when he was killed in the southern Iraqi city of Basra in June 2004. | Mrs Gentle's son Gordon, of the 1st Battalion Royal Highland Fusiliers, was 19 when he was killed in the southern Iraqi city of Basra in June 2004. |
'Right to know' | 'Right to know' |
Speaking before the meeting with Mr Brown, she said: "The families could be informed a lot more about the death of a loved one. Families who have lost someone feel as though they are not getting a lot of information. | Speaking before the meeting with Mr Brown, she said: "The families could be informed a lot more about the death of a loved one. Families who have lost someone feel as though they are not getting a lot of information. |
"They have a right to know exactly what happened before it comes out in a newspaper or book. | "They have a right to know exactly what happened before it comes out in a newspaper or book. |
"Families want to know why it is taking so long for equipment to get over to Afghanistan. That's what the families are really worried about. | "Families want to know why it is taking so long for equipment to get over to Afghanistan. That's what the families are really worried about. |
"There should also be funds set up for the siblings who have lost a relative." | "There should also be funds set up for the siblings who have lost a relative." |
Mrs Gentle, who was due to take her mother to the meeting, added: "I've never had a face-to-face meeting with the prime minister before. We are quite thankful that Gordon Brown is meeting with us." | |
A Downing Street spokesman confirmed the meeting took place. | |
He also confirmed that Mr Brown was due to General David Petraeus, the head of US Central Command, in his constituency of Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath. | |
They were to discuss the ongoing operation in Afghanistan and the fallout from Thursday's elections. | |
Mrs Gentle is the founder of the Military Families Against The War group. | Mrs Gentle is the founder of the Military Families Against The War group. |