Blunkett on Dannatt

David Blunkett, the disgraced former Home Secretary caught lying about abusing his ministerial position, has taken a break from wallowing in self pity to criticise General Sir Richard Dannatt, the army's senior soldier, for interfering in politics. ITN reports that,

Mr Blunkett said General Sir Richard Dannatt's comments on the situation in Iraq were a "constitutional" issue, and the armed services should not interfere in governmental decisions.
He said: "I think lessons will be learned, because we don't have the intervention of the military into our decision-making in Britain, and nor should we."

The decisions have been long made and ministers have sent British troops into combat in insufficient numbers and with inadequate equipment. It is quite correct for the head of the army to speak out over this scandalous treatment of our soldiers.

It is quite clear, from Sir Richard's various interviews over the last few days, that he feels a personal responsibility for the troops under his command and that he spoke out from a sense of duty towards those soldiers, who he knows he may well be sending to their deaths. Sir Richard was merely fulfilling that duty, not interfering in either constitutional issues or political decision making.

Tags: Dannatt