Ed vows to outlaw abuse of troops
ED MILIBAND has vowed outlaw discrimination against members of the Armed Forces – similar to legislation enjoyed by disabled people and ethnic minorities – if he wins power at the next Election.
The Labour leader, who made the announcement during a visit to British troops stationed at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan yesterday, said he would change the law so that a physical or verbal assault on a soldier or their family would be classed as an aggravated crime if the prosecution could establish that their service was the motive for the assault.
And Mr Miliband said that he would make it an offence for men or women in uniform to be discriminated against in shops or restaurants.
Surveys have found that one in five members of our Armed Forces suffers abuse or is refused access to restaurants, hotels and bars.
‘I don’t see why that should happen,’ Mr Miliband said. ‘I don’t think that’s what the British people want. We know the esteem in which our Armed Forces are held and we should reflect that in legislation.’
During the visit, the Labour leader also declined to rule out further military spending cuts, saying Labour would ‘look at strategic needs’.
Mr Miliband met with the British military personnel as they enter their last year in a combat role in Afghanistan.