Military Covenant required now more than ever says The Royal British Legion
10 February 2011
The Royal British Legion's Director General, Chris Simpkins today told a committee of MPs that the Military Covenant should be enshrined in law.
Mr Simpkins was giving evidence to the Armed Forces Bill Select Committee on the same day that the Coroner at the inquest into the death of Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid GC, delivered a verdict of 'unlawful death'.
Staff Sergeant Schmid GC's widow Christina, has been supported with legal advice from lawyers provided by The Royal British Legion. Significantly the Coroner in an almost unprecedented move, allowed The Royal British Legion lawyer to put questions to witnesses when Mrs Schmid felt overcome with emotion and unable to continue with the proceedings.
The verdict in today's inquest has "highlighted the need, now more than ever, to enshrine in law a military covenant" said the Legion's Director General Chris Simpkins. Speaking after the committee hearing, he said, "The unquestioning duty of heroes like Staff Sergeant Schmid GC and the bravery of his widow Christina, cannot simply be looked after by an unwritten covenant between the State and its Armed Forces, especially at a time of public service cuts." The Director General went further adding: "The fact that the welfare of our Service people is threatened by Government cuts, such as the proposal to abolish the Chief Coroner's Office which is crucial to improving support for bereaved Armed Forces families, underlines the need to define and enshrine in law a set of principles in a military covenant."
It had been speculated in newspaper reports today, that the reason the Government had decided to do a U-turn on a commitment made by the Prime Minister on board HMS Ark Royal last year, was because it could potentially open the floodgates to legal challenges made by Service personnel who might feel minded to enforce their rights through the courts. Giving evidence to the committee the Director General said: "That is not a reason for Government not to honour the Prime Minister's explicit commitment to enshrine the Covenant in law!"
The Royal British Legion who launched a campaign back in September 2007 called 'Honour the Covenant', argues that the military covenant should be enshrined in law to provide a broad set of principles about what the lifelong duty of care that the state owes our Service people actually means.
The Director General dismissed arguments that the Armed Forces, like every other sector in society should bear its fair share of cuts across public sector services arguing that: "it is the Government's job to prioritise budgets, this is nothing new. What we [the Legion] are asking, is for him [the Prime Minister] to honour his explicit commitment to enshrine the Covenant in law."
For enquiries contact:
Liam Maguire, Public Relations Officer, The Royal
British Legion
T: 0203 207 2242 M: 07769 968858 E: lmaguire@britishlegion.org.uk
