What are we going to do now that Lord Tim has left us. Can someone persuade INGE to start posting?

RIP Lord TIM

Indeed, a very sad loss.

RIP

FM Lord Inge would be an interesting ARRSER. For my money though, I would like to hear, on a regular basis, the views and opinions of Gen Lord Ramsbottam. He is the very model of modern general and peer.

The Commons had a debate yesterday on Defence Policy (link courtesy of theyworkforyou.com).

There was also a Westminster Hall debate initiated by John Barrett MP (Edinburgh West, LD) on the subject of the Military Covenant (link courtesy of theyworkforyou.com).

A few name-checks from the Defence Policy Debate:

Kevan Jones (North Durham, Labour)

... As for the ability of service personnel to raise problems that they may face in the armed forces, I think that all three services need a voice—that is why I proposed my private Member's Bill in the support of the British Armed Forces Federation earlier this year. That independent voice is very important. ...

Andrew Murrison (Westbury, Conservative)

... Ministers can surely be in no doubt that the military covenant has been broken... The Royal British Legion has felt it necessary to mount its "Honour the covenant" campaign this autumn, while a completely new organisation, the British Armed Forces Federation, was created this summer to lobby for a better deal for the service community. Unofficial forces websites have sprung up. I draw the Minister's attention particularly to the Army Rumour Service website—better known, if you will forgive me, Mr. Deputy Speaker, by its acronym ARRSE—which provides a free and frank window on the views of an increasingly dischuffed service population. ...

Andrew Murrison (Westbury, Conservative)

I am grateful to the Secretary of State for his intervention, but it does not move us much further forward. I seriously suggest that he listen to the British Armed Forces Federation and the Royal British Legion, and look at their websites. He should listen to them, not to me. ...

[quote="hackle"]
A few name-checks from the Defence Policy Debate:

Kevan Jones (North Durham, Labour)

... As for the ability of service personnel to raise problems that they may face in the armed forces, I think that all three services need a voice—that is why I proposed my private Member's Bill in the support of the British Armed Forces Federation earlier this year. That independent voice is very important. ...

Is this the same prize nincompoop who is habitually sniping at soldiers going on ski type training and how many light bulbs it takes to illuminate a four star general's house?

Hurrah ! - wasn't there a prize for the first mention of Arrse in Parliament ?.

If you look through the debate there's a bit where Liam Fox asks Swiss Des whether troops in Kuwait would get the operational allowance.

Iain Dale carries the exchange, as does Hackle's link above in among the exntire session.

Has any arrse received the allowance for service in Kuwait ?. Or is Des wrong?.

Originally Posted by hackle

The Commons had a debate yesterday on Defence Policy (link courtesy of theyworkforyou.com).

There was also a Westminster Hall debate initiated by John Barrett MP (Edinburgh West, LD) on the subject of the Military Covenant (link courtesy of theyworkforyou.com).

A few name-checks from the Defence Policy Debate:

Kevan Jones (North Durham, Labour)

... As for the ability of service personnel to raise problems that they may face in the armed forces, I think that all three services need a voice—that is why I proposed my private Member's Bill in the support of the British Armed Forces Federation earlier this year. That independent voice is very important. ...

Andrew Murrison (Westbury, Conservative)

... Ministers can surely be in no doubt that the military covenant has been broken... The Royal British Legion has felt it necessary to mount its "Honour the covenant" campaign this autumn, while a completely new organisation, the British Armed Forces Federation, was created this summer to lobby for a better deal for the service community. Unofficial forces websites have sprung up. I draw the Minister's attention particularly to the Army Rumour Service website—better known, if you will forgive me, Mr. Deputy Speaker, by its acronym ARRSE—which provides a free and frank window on the views of an increasingly dischuffed service population. ...

Andrew Murrison (Westbury, Conservative)

I am grateful to the Secretary of State for his intervention, but it does not move us much further forward. I seriously suggest that he listen to the British Armed Forces Federation and the Royal British Legion, and look at their websites. He should listen to them, not to me. ...

ARRSE mentioned in the House! This is as fine an achievement as getting ARRSE member 'Dung Trumpet' quoted in the Times.

I shall celebrate with a snifter of sherry later. If she lets me......

Originally Posted by whiffler

Hurrah ! - wasn't there a prize for the first mention of Arrse in Parliament ?.

If you look through the debate there's a bit where Liam Fox asks Swiss Des whether troops in Kuwait would get the operational allowance.

Iain Dale carries the exchange, as does Hackle's link above in among the exntire session.

Has any arrse received the allowance for service in Kuwait ?. Or is Des wrong?.

Or see this thread:
http://www.arrse.co.uk/cpgn2/Forums/...c/t=79967.html


Not really military, but my favourite recent debate:

"Worklessness (West Ham)
4 pm Lyn Brown (West Ham) (Lab): "I shall take this opportunity to talk about the unfairness in the benefits system, which ensures that many of my constituents are unable to work or keep a roof over their heads."

And later:
"Through our cities strategy, we have created 15 pathfinder local authorities with responsibility for developing and delivering targets and outcomes to tackle worklessness"

http://www.publications.parliament.u...07101747000550

I like that idea: "WORKLESSNESS". This new, made-up word, implies that unemployment is a problem, a disease if you like, that is nothing to do with the people - sorry, victims - who 'suffer' from it. Why am I not surprised?

As far as I know, the earliest parliamentary mention of this site was by the late Lord Tim Garden ('tgarden' on ARRSE) in a debate on Service Voting.

House of Lords, 26 May, 2005:

There was one beacon of light in all this: there was an unofficial, if somewhat irreverent, website called the "Army Rumour Service", where volunteers posted information to encourage servicemen to register to vote and to get out and vote. This was done in a totally non-partisan way, and links were made to all the electoral registration offices so that registering could be done on a voluntary basis. That is the kind of thing that the MoD should have been doing.

I believe that Lord T was highly amused at the tongue-in-cheek protest when the above was reported back to ARRSE: "Only slightly irreverent?"

D.Y.

[quote="lsquared"]

Originally Posted by hackle

A few name-checks from the Defence Policy Debate:

Kevan Jones (North Durham, Labour)

... As for the ability of service personnel to raise problems that they may face in the armed forces, I think that all three services need a voice—that is why I proposed my private Member's Bill in the support of the British Armed Forces Federation earlier this year. That independent voice is very important. ...

Is this the same prize nincompoop who is habitually sniping at soldiers going on ski type training and how many light bulbs it takes to illuminate a four star general's house?

Yes one needs to be careful about such 'friends'. The issue for BAFF in these circumstances is official recognition. As long as it remains a lobbying group it will inevitably be somewhat limited in its powers.