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| MoD denies Afghan vehicles claim | MoD denies Afghan vehicles claim |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| The Ministry of Defence has denied claims that a request for 400 new patrol vehicles for troops in Afghanistan has been pared back. | |
| Gordon Brown announced plans for 200 new light armoured vehicles, to replace Snatch Land Rovers, on Saturday. | Gordon Brown announced plans for 200 new light armoured vehicles, to replace Snatch Land Rovers, on Saturday. |
| The Tories said this was half what had been sought but MoD officials said the original order was for "up to 400" and they anticipated more being provided. | The Tories said this was half what had been sought but MoD officials said the original order was for "up to 400" and they anticipated more being provided. |
| It comes amid an ongoing row over Labour's funding of the military. | It comes amid an ongoing row over Labour's funding of the military. |
| 'Political props' | 'Political props' |
| The PM promised the new patrol vehicles, designed to give troops better protection against roadside bombs, during a visit to Afghanistan on Saturday. | The PM promised the new patrol vehicles, designed to give troops better protection against roadside bombs, during a visit to Afghanistan on Saturday. |
| The vehicles, further details of which are due to be announced by defence secretary Bob Ainsworth on Tuesday, will be ready next year. | The vehicles, further details of which are due to be announced by defence secretary Bob Ainsworth on Tuesday, will be ready next year. |
| But shadow defence secretary Liam Fox said he would not take the announcement at face value since the original tender - published last year - had been for 400 vehicles. | But shadow defence secretary Liam Fox said he would not take the announcement at face value since the original tender - published last year - had been for 400 vehicles. |
| "We have been waiting for years for replacements to Snatch Land Rovers," he told the BBC's Andrew Marr show. | "We have been waiting for years for replacements to Snatch Land Rovers," he told the BBC's Andrew Marr show. |
| "What happened to the other 200? Tomorrow in Parliament, I will be tabling questions to find out whether this is yet another cut to the equipment on Treasury orders." | "What happened to the other 200? Tomorrow in Parliament, I will be tabling questions to find out whether this is yet another cut to the equipment on Treasury orders." |
| The then defence secretary John Hutton announced plans for a "new generation" of light armoured patrol vehicles in December 2008 in response to the growing number of soldiers killed while on patrol in Snatch vehicles. | The then defence secretary John Hutton announced plans for a "new generation" of light armoured patrol vehicles in December 2008 in response to the growing number of soldiers killed while on patrol in Snatch vehicles. |
| If officers come to us and they say that they need more equipment, we will provide the money, we will provide the resources Alistair Darling | If officers come to us and they say that they need more equipment, we will provide the money, we will provide the resources Alistair Darling |
| The 2009 tender identified a "potential future requirement for up to 400 vehicles to be production ready in 2010 and delivered into service in 2011". | The 2009 tender identified a "potential future requirement for up to 400 vehicles to be production ready in 2010 and delivered into service in 2011". |
| The MoD said the order outlined by Mr Brown was new and would be paid for by the Treasury out of the urgent operational requirement budget. | The MoD said the order outlined by Mr Brown was new and would be paid for by the Treasury out of the urgent operational requirement budget. |
| "We expect initially to buy in the region of 200 vehicles," a spokeswoman said. | "We expect initially to buy in the region of 200 vehicles," a spokeswoman said. |
| "These will be world beating British built vehicles and will provide unprecedented levels of protection for their weight class. There can be no clearer demonstration of our commitment to our troops." | "These will be world beating British built vehicles and will provide unprecedented levels of protection for their weight class. There can be no clearer demonstration of our commitment to our troops." |
| The Tories were critical of the timing of Mr Brown's Afghan trip, which came a day after he told the Iraq inquiry that he had met every request for resources from the military while he was chancellor. | The Tories were critical of the timing of Mr Brown's Afghan trip, which came a day after he told the Iraq inquiry that he had met every request for resources from the military while he was chancellor. |
| Former defence chiefs suggested his comments were "disingenuous" while others have said the military has been starved of resources under the Labour government. | Former defence chiefs suggested his comments were "disingenuous" while others have said the military has been starved of resources under the Labour government. |
| Sir John Major has accused Gordon Brown of using British troops as "political props". | Sir John Major has accused Gordon Brown of using British troops as "political props". |
| "Two years ago he did so on the eve of the election that never was and now he is doing so again on the eve of the election he cannot avoid," he said in a speech on Saturday. | "Two years ago he did so on the eve of the election that never was and now he is doing so again on the eve of the election he cannot avoid," he said in a speech on Saturday. |
| "Nine years and far too many fatalities later, the troops - and the families of those who have perished - could be forgiven for believing the prime minister's visit is yet another political stunt." | "Nine years and far too many fatalities later, the troops - and the families of those who have perished - could be forgiven for believing the prime minister's visit is yet another political stunt." |
| 'Right move' | 'Right move' |
| The MoD says Mr Brown's visit had been planned for some time and that he had been to Afghanistan at a similar time in previous years. | The MoD says Mr Brown's visit had been planned for some time and that he had been to Afghanistan at a similar time in previous years. |
| During the trip, he praised the bravery of the 4,000 British troops involved in the opening phase of Operation Moshtarak, designed to push the Taliban out of territory in Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan. | During the trip, he praised the bravery of the 4,000 British troops involved in the opening phase of Operation Moshtarak, designed to push the Taliban out of territory in Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan. |
| Criticism of Mr Brown's support for British troops and the government's record on defence in general was unfair, Chancellor Alistair Darling said. | Criticism of Mr Brown's support for British troops and the government's record on defence in general was unfair, Chancellor Alistair Darling said. |
| "Defence spending is about 10% more than it was in 1997," he told the Politics Show. | "Defence spending is about 10% more than it was in 1997," he told the Politics Show. |
| "We are absolutely clear, Gordon and now me as chancellor, that with troops deployed in the field, if the officers come to us and they say that they need more equipment, as they have done in relation to the armoured vehicles in Afghanistan yesterday, we will provide the money, we will provide the resources." | "We are absolutely clear, Gordon and now me as chancellor, that with troops deployed in the field, if the officers come to us and they say that they need more equipment, as they have done in relation to the armoured vehicles in Afghanistan yesterday, we will provide the money, we will provide the resources." |
| Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg told Sky News that he backed Mr Brown's visit, arguing that he had a "constitutional duty" to show the UK's "collective sense of gratitude" to British troops for their efforts. | Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg told Sky News that he backed Mr Brown's visit, arguing that he had a "constitutional duty" to show the UK's "collective sense of gratitude" to British troops for their efforts. |