Armed Forces Day: Davey calls for veterans and those serving to be given a Fair Deal

EMBARGO: 22.30 Friday 28th June

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has marked Armed Forces Day by calling for those serving and veterans and their families to be given a Fair Deal.

The Liberal Democrat manifesto includes measures to reverse the troop cuts which have left the army at its smallest size since the Napoleonic era, strengthen the Armed Forces Covenant and an ambition to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP.

Ed Davey said that these measures would give serving military personnel a package of support “worthy of the sacrifices they and their families have made”. 

The Party’s manifesto also put forward proposals for a new commission aimed at securing a cross-party consensus on improving conditions for serving personnel and veterans.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

“Today is a day to express our gratitude to every single person who is serving or has served in our armed forces. 

“Each one of them has given so much in order to keep us all safe and they deserve a fair deal, worthy of the sacrifices they and their families have made.

“That is why I and the Liberal Democrats are proud to have put forward a manifesto that would give veterans, their families, and those serving the resources and the support that they deserve and need to keep us safe.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

The Liberal Democrat manifesto includes plans to:

• Reverse the 10,000 personnel troop cuts 

• An ambition to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP

• Improve military housing 

• Strengthening the Armed Forces Covenant by placing a legal duty on the Defence Secretary and government departments to give it due regard

• Accept the recommendations of the Atherton Report on women in the armed forces

• Ensuring that military compensation for illness or injury does not count towards means testing benefits

• Establing a “Fair Deal for Service Personnel, Veterans and Families Commission”