British soldiers living in barracks not fit for animals: MP
A member of the British parliament has harshly criticized the government for neglecting army soldiers in barracks where he says the living conditions are not even fit for animals.
“Animals would not be housed in such dangerous conditions,” said Johnny Mercer on Tuesday while reacting a leaked report in the Sun newspaper which showed that government budget cuts had led to an “unacceptable degradation” of army barracks.
Mercer, a former army officer and a Conservative MP, said the government had clearly neglected the young British soldiers and left them in lethal living conditions in the barracks.
“It is disgraceful how ministers talk up our armed forces at every opportunity, and yet, away from the spotlight, ask our most loyal public servants to endure totally unacceptable and lethal living environments,” he said.
The comments came after the Sun published parts of the Defense Safety Authority (DSA) document it had obtained through a leak. The report warned that if the government failed to invest in safety of military barracks, there was a high possibility for “significant loss of life, loss of capability and damage to defense’s reputation”.
A source told the Sun that the most senior civil official in the Ministry of Defense had failed to comply with an improvement notice for safety standards.
“It's sheer cowardice and a betrayal of every man and woman serving in uniform,” said the source, adding, “Young soldiers are going to burn to death in their beds. Everybody knows that it won't be long before things get so bad that people are killed.”
The British government has repeatedly been criticized for a series of cuts that has been in place as part of an extensive austerity program since 2010 when the Conservative Party rose to power. Many believe the painful cuts have clearly reduced the quality of life in Britain.
The United Nations said in a report in November last year that the austerity measures had left a fifth of the UK population, around 14 million people, in poverty.
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