Halewood Lib Dems have condemned the Knowsley Labour group for opposing calls for a better deal for our Armed Forces.
In a heated debate during a recent Council meeting the Lib Dems had tabled proposals calling for better pay and conditions for the UK Armed Forces.
They had also called for the creation of a Forces Liaison Officer within the Council to help servicemen and women choosing to live in Knowsley to resettle when they return to civilian life.
But Labour councillors amended the proposals and deleted any reference in the final resolution to the poor pay for our soldiers and refused to even consider the creation of a Forces Liaison Officer.
Halewood Lib Dem campaigner Tom Moretta said he was “appalled” that Labour councillors chose to back their failed and discredited Labour government rather than support calls for a fair deal for the UK Armed Forces.
Tom Moretta said: “I was appalled that the Labour group would not recognise the unjust and unfair pay and conditions of our Armed Forces where 13,000 of the lowest ranking personnel earn less than £17,000 a year.
“It cannot be right that young men and women who put their lives on the line day in day out - particularly in Afghanistan right now - are not recognised with better pay.
“A Royal Marine hero has been forced to sell his medals to buy a home for his family while civil servants working in Afghanistan are being paid bonuses twenty times more than front- line troops.
“Every day young men and women are putting their lives on the line, fighting in terrible conditions in Afghanistan.
“What is their reward? Shockingly poor pay that leaves them on the poverty line while their families back at home stay hungry.
“Rather than support our pans for a better deal Labour councillors in Knowsley prefer to trumpet the record of their discredited government who took this country into an illegal war in Iraq and no refuse to even give those troops a fair deal.
“The Labour party in Knowsley should hang their heads in shame.”
Lib Dem Leader Cllr Ian Smith added: “Earlier this year Gordon Brown bowed to pressure over the Gurkhas and only this week performed another u-turn when he scrapped plans to cut the training budget for TA soldiers under pressure from all parties.
“Now it is time we put the pressure on Gordon Brown to give our Armed Forces a fair deal on pay and not leave them on the poverty line any longer.
“But instead of supporting our proposals the Labour group in Knowsley prefer to prop up a government fast heading for the exit and recently spent £37,000 of your council tax money attending the Labour party conference to cosy up to their chums in government, money which could have paid for the new post we were calling for.
“It is time we stopped short-changing our troops and the Labour party backed our plans.”