I hope that it is acceptable to the Editor to quote a line written by Chris James as my headline. I applaud his excellent article on our brave soldiers.
Our brave young men are fighting a war thousands of mile away from home. Some will lose their lives and many will be physicaly injured. Others will suffer from mental health problems. The young soldier who could not forget killing one other man in Afghanistan, suffered dreadfully, and took his own life is one example.
Meanwhile in our Mother of Parliaments, in this green and pleasant land, what are our elected MP's doing? Allegedly, some have defrauded the public purse. Others have made expenses claims, details of which the UK public have read, for month after month, in our daily newspapers. The same MP's who voted to send our troops to Afghanistan.
Could things get any worse? They just have.
Tonight, we learn that 3 former Labour Government ministers have been suspended from their Party. It is alleged, and they remain innocent until proven guilty, that they have used their privileged positions to gain benefit for organisations, who paid them, to act or lobby on their behalf.
Is there more? There is.
The BBC reported tonight on allegations that some MP's have laid down many hundreds of questions and signed Early Day Motions relating to overseas countries eg Gibraltar. That is part of their job, is it not, you may ask? It is. When these MP's have not declared an interest: when the same MP's have enjoyed trips to these foreign countries: when these trips are financed by these foreign countries, what are we to think?
Meanwhile some of our Armed Forces at war in Afghanistan and their families are buying some of their essential kit.