Today’s defence news includes speculation over Type 23 Frigates and the LPDs, Northern Ireland historic allegations and the Poppy Appeal launch.
Type 23 Frigates and the LPDs
The Daily Telegraph, the Times, The Daily Mail, the Sun and The Daily Mirror all speculate over the future of the Type 23 Frigates and LPDs HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark.
An MOD spokesperson said:
We can categorically confirm that there has been no engagement with either Chile or Brazil in respect of early sale of Type 23 Frigates or the two LPDs.
Northern Ireland Historic Allegations
There is widespread coverage of the Defence Secretary’s comments at the House of Commons Defence Committee yesterday on the Northern Ireland Historic Allegations. Coverage is featured in The Daily Telegraph (p8), Daily Mail (p10), the Daily Mirror (p6) and the Sun (p32).
During the HCDC Select Committee, Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said:
As part of the consultation that the Northern Ireland Office is about to undergo, we will be seeking views on alternative approaches that would enable the province to think of drawing a line under the past which might involve a Statute of Limitations. There are huge difficulties with a statute of limitations, ensuring that it is non-discriminatory for example under the European Convention on Human Rights but I personally think, and I think the government I hope will share this view, it is worth the province starting to think about this.
It is an approach that been successful in other countries and I hope you would agree that it is one of the approaches that should be canvassed. So as far as our own veterans are concerned, I am separately determined that this should neither be a witch hunt or any kind of fish expedition that sees our veterans, that were defending the state, defending the state’s citizens, that sees our veterans being hauled from their beds and dragged across to Belfast. I want to see safeguards now in this process that will ensure there will be investigations, unless there are very strong grounds to reopen cases for example to emergence of new evidence.
Poppy Appeal launch
There is widespread coverage of today’s Poppy Appeal launch, leading with strong images of the ‘In Flanders Field’ poem installations across the UK, from Dover’s white cliff to Dunkirk. This includes the Guardian, the Daily Star and the Daily Express in addition to Good Morning Britain and BBC Breakfast.
Image of the day
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