Veterans minister Calvin Bailey has faced criticism after comments he made at the Labour conference suggested that voters who are "traditionally Labour" are the "people fighting" Britain's wars.
A recording captured Mr Bailey saying his party "created and established Nato because we tend to have an understanding of the fact that when we go to war, it is a part of the population that is traditionally Labour that is going to be the people fighting". He also claimed that the "big defence cuts have come under the Conservatives".
Conservative response
Stuart Anderson, the Tories' Shadow Minister for War Readiness, who served as a soldier in Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Kosovo, said: "Labour are refusing to find the money to fund our armed forces and spend 3% of GDP on defence by 2030. So the suggestion that military service is something traditionally associated with Labour voters is absurd.
"What's more, Conservative MPs currently serving in Parliament include veterans of the Royal Green Jackets, Royal Navy, Royal Artillery, SAS, Scots Guards, Royal Marines, Royal Yorkshire Regiment and Royal Tank Regiment, among others. And while Labour lectures everyone else about its affinity with the armed forces, its Northern Ireland Legacy Bill is reopening the prospect of veterans facing further investigations and legal proceedings over their service in Northern Ireland. Any suggestion that one political party or its supporters uniquely represents those who serve therefore does not reflect the cross-party nature of Britain's armed forces community."
Spokesperson's response
A spokesperson for Mr Bailey, who served as a Wing Commander in the Royal Air Force and was on operations in Afghanistan, Haiti, Cyprus, Sudan and Iraq, said: "These comments have been taken out of context. As someone who served for decades in the RAF, Calvin hugely values all those who have bravely served in our Armed Forces, regardless of their political views."
