During a parliamentary session, Will Stone, Labour MP for Swindon North, asked about progress on appointing an independent Armed Forces Commissioner.
The role is part of the government’s Armed Forces Commissioner Bill, which aims to improve oversight of armed forces welfare and ensure personnel and their families have a champion for their concerns.
Responding, Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard said, “This Labour Government are delivering for defence, and the landmark Armed Forces Commissioner Bill is the first step in renewing the nation’s contract with those who serve. The commissioner will be appointed following the passage of the primary legislation establishing the role. The Bill passed Committee stage in the Commons in December, and I look forward to Report stage in due course.”
Stone, a former rifleman, pressed the Minister on how the commissioner would address service personnel’s welfare, asking, “What will installing an armed forces commissioner do to make their standard of living better?”
Pollard emphasised the role’s independence, stating, “It is absolutely vital that the voices of armed forces personnel and their families are listened to more. That is why we are establishing in the commissioner an independent champion for armed forces and their families.”
He explained that the commissioner will scrutinise welfare issues and report directly to Parliament, “shining a spotlight on the issues that really matter to those who serve in uniform and their families.”
Graham Stuart, Conservative MP for Beverley and Holderness, questioned the commissioner’s independence, comparing it to Germany’s parliamentary armed forces commissioner. Pollard acknowledged Germany’s role as an inspiration, saying, “Dr Eva Högl is a superb example of how we can scrutinise and champion the armed forces and provide solutions and a voice to those who serve.”
While the German commissioner functions as a Member of Parliament, Pollard noted that this was deemed inappropriate for the UK’s model. He added, “The independence and the way she has pioneered much of that work in recent years is a real inspiration to us.”
Mark Francois, Conservative MP for Rayleigh and Wickford, raised concerns about potential inheritance tax changes that could affect unmarried service personnel in long-term relationships, suggesting this would conflict with the armed forces covenant. He asked if the MOD had addressed the issue with the Treasury.
Pollard confirmed the matter is under consultation and falls within Treasury responsibility. He reiterated his commitment to follow up with Francois, saying, “I undertook to write to him, and I will do so.”
It’s a role that’s vitally needed but like most regulators and commissioner in this country it will be toothless
Only politicians could think creating another governance role to do something that should already be happening is a good thing.
They will want to allow the forces to unionise next.
The forces need money. Money that has been peed up the wall in the Ukraine should have been spent here.
Yes the forces need a serious spending uplift, but money has not been wasted in Ukraine. British weapons have been doing a fine job killing Russians.
You should have heard Trump’s speech last night. If we ignore the threat to invade Greenland and the Panama Canal and annexing both. He addressed NATO and set 5% as the figure all NATO countries should be spending on their defence. “I think NATO should have 5%, yeah. Well, you can’t do it at two I mean, at 2% every country, if you’re going to have a country and a regular military, you’re at 4% I think they should be, you know, they’re in dangerous territory. They can all afford it, but they should be at 5%, not 2%.” That doesn’t leave Starmer much room. If you add his stupidity of digging up Greenland for its resources, NATO is on shaky ground. How many countries would leave it if he does the former, or insists on the latter?
As I’ve said, Trump doesn’t actually care about defence expenditure, he just needs a stick to beat “big mean NATO” with and get his voting base pissed off so they’ll support him.
I am sceptical about the real benefits of this ‘initiative’. The welfare and personnel issues are all very well known and documented. Pollard says that this Commissioner will ensure the voices of armed forces personnel and their families are listened to more. Is that all? He will use his ears? This Commissioner needs instead to be able to achieve decisive rectification action.
This is window dressing, unlikely to have any extra funding for this, cost of servicing Government debt has risen due to poor budget choices. Labour will “double down” increasing percentage of money on Defence is also unlikely as growth will not happen as economy contracting.
A classic example of polishing a turd. Create a £200k job for a washed up peer, no actual legislative powers or “teeth” to hold offenders (MOD) balls to the grindstone and more excuses to be shown around newly decorated or newly built quarters to demonstrate how good the forces have it.