KEEPING THE NATION safe is the main priority of any Government. From deployments abroad to operations at home, our armed forces personnel are essential to the strength of our nation’s defence. 

This week is Armed Forces Week. It is a time to reflect on the service given by our veterans, the unwavering dedication and commitment of our current serving personnel, and the sacrifices made by their families. I would like to offer my sincere appreciation for the entire armed forces community for their contributions to keeping us safe. 

Chester has strong links with our armed forces. The Dale barracks are home to the 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, and the reserve unit C Squadron, the Queen’s Own Yeomanry, is based in the Fox barracks, next to the Dale. HMS Albion, which has a long-standing affiliation with Chester, is currently on a three-month-long deployment with NATO allies and international partners in the Baltic. Additionally, Cheshire West and Chester is home to a thriving veteran community – with more than 13,300 veterans living in the area, making it the 13th largest veterans’ community by local authority. 

I am honored to represent a city with such strong ties to the armed forces. 

The Labour Party understands the importance of our armed forces, and a Labour government would renew the moral contract between the armed forces and government. The current Conservative government is still cutting day-to-day spending in real terms, with the Secretary of Defence telling MPs earlier in the year “I am happy to say that we’ve hollowed out and underfunded” our armed forces.  

Retention rates for serving personnel are falling, satisfaction with service life has dropped to almost 40 per cent, and reports are coming out of their families living in accommodation with mould and damp. This is unacceptable. 

Our armed forces deserve support and proper funding, especially during these uncertain times. The fundamentals of supplying our forces with proper housing, services and equipment need to be a priority. 

Earlier this week, Labour announced it will establish an Armed Forces Commissioner to improve service life for personell and their families. This is in conjunction with the two ongoing national campaigns prioritise our armed forces community: Veterans Voice and Homes Fit for Heroes. You can find out more about these campaigns on my socials. 

If you would like to celebrate Armed Forces Week in Chester, there will be a flag-raising ceremony at Town Hall on Saturday morning.