Hendon’s MP has joined the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme to gain a better insight into the armed forces. In the last century Parliament held a great deal of military experience but as the armed forces have declined, particularly since the end of the cold war, the number of MPs with direct military experience has declined. In recent years Members of Parliament have taken decisions on military involvement with Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan. The strength of the Scheme is that is allows MPs to hear the views of servicemen and women directly and candidly – rather than through senior officers or the MOD, as would normally be the case.
Matthew said: “The future of our armed forces is too important to be left to a few MPs so I am determined to increase my knowledge of how service personnel experience life in the forces and this is achieved through the work of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme. The UK remains in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan – and also working against drug smuggling in the Caribbean and pirates in the Indian Ocean. As such, the armed forces are important to all of us in the Hendon constituency. While I welcome the extra funds provided by the Strategic Defence and Security Review to address the threat of Mumbai-style terrorist attacks and cyber terrorism, I remain concerned about the longer-term vision ministers have for the armed forces. Membership of the Scheme will allow me to speak with some knowledge of service life as it is really experienced.”
Matthew is pictured on the deck of HMS Raleigh’s Board and Search School with (from left to right) Ashley Fox MEP, Mary MaCleod MP, Lt Cdr Graham Bennett RN, Oliver Colvile MP and Philip Hollobone MP