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Brown meets anti-war campaigner | Brown meets anti-war campaigner |
(30 minutes later) | |
A mother who has campaigned against the war in Iraq since her soldier son was killed has met Prime Minister Gordon Brown. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |
My feelings about going into Iraq and how my son was killed have not changed Rose Gentle | |
Speaking after the meeting with Mr Brown, she said: "We did tell him we need a lot more equipment sent out to our boys. | |
"He said they were putting a lot of money towards equipment and when helicopters broke down they've got to come back to Britain to be fixed. | |
"We asked if he would fund a group where brothers and sisters of those killed in the armed forces could meet. He said it was a good idea that the brothers and sisters are meeting and he will get back to us regarding any funding." | |
Mrs Gentle, who also took her mother Pauline Graham to the meeting, said previous Prime Minister Tony Blair had always refused to meet her. | |
'Quite pleasant' | |
She added: "My anger is still with Tony Blair. Tony Blair refused to have a meeting with me when he was prime minister. | |
"My feelings about going into Iraq and how my son was killed have not changed. | |
"I know he (Mr Brown) was partly responsible for them going there as he held the purse strings, but I thought there was no point in raising voices during the meeting as I wouldn't be able to get answers to the questions." | |
Mrs Gentle said "no timescale" was given on when she may get answers to her requests in the meeting. | |
Asked about her impression of Mr Brown, Mrs Gentle said: "He was actually quite pleasant to speak to." | |
A Downing Street spokesman confirmed the meeting took place. | 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. | 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. | 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. |