Legion manifesto at Labour conference top table
30 September 2009
Director General Chris Simpkins played a prominent role in promoting the Legion's new general election manifesto when he joined a high-powered Sun panel at the Labour party conference.
The meeting was organised by The Sun newspaper as part of its 'Don’t you know there's a bloody war on?' campaign.
Mr Simpkins was joined by (from l to r above) bereaved mother Christine Bonner, whose son Corporal Darren Bonner of the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment was killed in Afghanistan in May 2007, Conservative Security Spokesperson Dame Pauline Neville-Jones, Secretary of State for Defence Bob Ainsworth, SAS hero Stuart Trow, who became Britain's first casualty in Afghanistan when he lost part of a leg while assaulting a Taliban stronghold in 2001 and former Army Chief of the General Staff Sir Mike Jackson. It was chaired by Tom Newton Dunn, the Sun's Defence Editor (centre).
In a lively and at times moving discussion, Mr Simpkins fielded questions on a wide range of issues, including the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and priority treatment for veterans.
As reported in The Sun, he welcomed the appointment of Admiral the Lord Boyce as independent chairman of the AFCS review, but made clear that the burden of proof should be returned to the State as was the case before the scheme was introduced in 2005. He compared the 81% rejection rate for claims now with the 12% rejection rate under the old scheme.
Mr Simpkins also pressed the Secretary of State on raising awareness among GPs of veterans' entitlement to priority treatment. The MoD's forthcoming report on implementation of its Command Paper needs to show what has actually been done across Government on this and other issues, he said.
Later, Mr Simpkins met with the Prime Minister at a Legion reception.
A full round up of Legion campaign activities will be posted at the end of party conference season. Meawhile, have you done your bit? Please sign our general election manifesto and email your election candidates at http://www.timetodoyourbit.org.uk/.
