The Daily Mail’s front page this morning features an interview with a father of one of the reservists who died on a march on the Brecon Beacons ahead of the expected verdict from the inquest today.
Elsewhere, updates on the Iran nuclear programme which has been agreed after a decade of negotiations is covered amongst today’s broadcast bulletins.
ISIL
BBC R4 Today reports that Harriet Harman and Vernon Coaker will attend the NSC today on ISIL which is being seen as a significant policy shift by Labour ahead of a potential vote on military action in Syria in the autumn. During Defence questions Vernon Coaker said: “We will carefully consider any proposals that the Government brings forward with regard to military action.” He asked that any proposals fit in with other governments’ approaches and would tangibly degrade ISIL. The Defence Secretary responded that any new proposals would reflect the fact that operations in Syria are different from in Iraq, which are at the invitation of the Iraqi Government.
The Daily Mail reports that British Reaper helped spearhead a massive Iraq offensive yesterday to win back the country's largest province from ISIL control. Carrying Hellfire missiles and 500lb laser-guided bombs, the RAF Reapers are understood to have helped target ISIL forces, command posts and communications sites in the build-up to an operation that is expected to include RAF Tornado jets in the coming weeks.
For more updates on the RAF’s air strike activity over Iraq be sure to check this page out.
The Daily Telegraph and The Times also refer to the Defence Secretary’s comments that government representatives use the term Daesh abroad, while ISIL is used domestically.
Brecon Beacons Inquest
Several outlets, including Sky News preview today’s conclusion of the inquest into the death of three reservists on SAS selection. The Daily Mail, along with The Times, Daily Telegraph and Daily Mirror, focuses on criticism from the father of Corporal Dunsby (one of the three reservists who died). Following his appearance on ITN News last night he has said that the wider Army should be assessed for blame for the deaths.
Keep an eye out for another blog with an update later.
Lynx Service Inquiry
A Service Inquiry into an accident involving an Army Lynx ZF540 helicopter which crashed on a training flight in Afghanistan last year has been completed.
Captain Thomas Clarke, Flight Lieutenant Rakesh Chauhan, Warrant Officer Class 2 Spencer Faulkner, Corporal James Walters and Lance Corporal Oliver Thomas tragically died in the accident.
A full copy of the report can be read here, and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Mark Lancaster’s statement to the House can be found here.
An MOD spokesperson said:
Our deepest sympathies remain with the families of those who lost their lives in this tragic accident.
Safety is of paramount importance to us, but this accident reinforces that flying can never be without risk. As a result of this Service Inquiry, which found that the crash was a result of human factors rather than due to enemy action or a technical fault, we have taken steps to ensure that the risk of reoccurrence is minimised as far as possible.
Work has started to implement the 33 recommendations made.
Defence spending
There is further reporting following the Prime Minister’s call for the MOD to spend more on Remotely Piloted Air Systems and Special Forces ahead of his visit to RAF Waddington and Coningsby and the reception for HMS Queen Elizabeth personnel at Downing Street, as well as the Defence Secretary’s interview round yesterday morning. On BBC R4 Today a review of Defence questions carried reference to questions on whether the Single Intelligence Account and pensions would be included to meet the 2%, as well as the Defence Secretary’s response that money that is spent on defence should be accounted for defence.
The Daily Mail reports that the Defence budget has widened to meet the NATO target. The Daily Express reports that the Prime Minister has said Britain faces the ‘battle of our generation’ against ISL.
An MOD Spokesperson said:
By increasing defence spending in real terms every year and meeting the NATO 2 per cent target for the rest of the decade, we are sending a strong message to both our allies and enemies.
The threats we face require a full spectrum response, from a range of departments. Our Armed Forces and Security Agencies work closely together to defend the UK from many of these threats and so counting the appropriate parts of SIA spend is entirely right. It underlines the government’s commitment to defence and the national security of our country.
Nepal helicopters
The Financial Times carries a piece reporting that the bill to the taxpayer of sending the RAF Chinook helicopters to Nepal in the wake of the earthquake is around £3m.
An HMG spokesperson said:
The UK has been the biggest bilateral aid donor to Nepal in response to April’s devastating earthquake contributing over £70m, and we will continue to support the ongoing relief effort. We are disappointed that our Chinooks were not used to support the World Food Programme's request for help in distributing aid but all decisions in relation to the relief effort are ultimately for the Government of Nepal to take.
Ebola
On BBC R4 Today correspondent Tulip Mazumdar has returned to Sierra Leone a year after on from the emergence of the Ebola outbreak. She referenced that Sierra Leone is stuck at around 10 cases of the disease every week.
Image of the Day
Follow us on Twitter and don’t forget to sign up for email alerts.