Our Servicemen and Women Deserve a Better Deal

10.26.45pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 14th Sep 2007

Our Servicemen and Women Deserve a Better Deal says Liz Leffman

LIZ Leffman, prospective Liberal Democrat MP for Meon Valley, will be supporting the launch of Liberal Democrat Friends of the Armed Forces at conference on Monday, 17 September. The movement backs the British Legion Broken Covenant campaign and seeks to ensure a fair deal for our servicemen and women, and their families.

Meon Valley has many ex-servicemen living in the area, and Liz was recently privileged to be invited out on a day sail organised by the Not Forgotten Association - a charity which provides entertainment and recreation for service and ex-service disabled - and Bishops Waltham-based sailing charity the Gwennili Trust.

She met young servicemen who were injured and who, thanks to the two charities, were able to enjoy some respite from their treatment in the open air.

"I have come away from the experience of meeting these past and present members of our armed services knowing that they deserve a better deal in return for serving our country," Liz said.

"And that is why I will be strongly supporting the launch of Liberal Democrat Friends of the Armed Forces at conference next week.

"The Liberal Democrats will be calling for ministers to provide fairer compensation for our troops, better medical care, support for personnel and support for bereaved families - which includes the removal of delays in inquest into the deaths of loved ones."