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Defence in the UK

I apologise most sincerely for missing the first two Front-Bench speeches, but a pressing constituency matter kept me from the Chamber longer than I had intended. I have already heard some excellent speeches in the debate. Like other hon. Members, I was spitting mad when I saw the images of that despicable protest at Luton against soldiers taking part in a homecoming parade. Those soldiers had returned from places of danger, where they had put their lives on the line. They had probably seen or heard of friends and comrades who were killed most violently while they were there. Some soldiers return with horrendous injuries, including the loss of limbs. As soldiers, all those people endure those experiences on our behalf and for our nation, to uphold our democracy and our rights. Those rights include the right to protest and freedom of speech, which were abused on that day in Luton. I will counter that with an entirely different account from Stafford. Some hon. Members may remember that when we debated the subject last year, I described the procession through Stafford in 2008, when the newly reformed 22 Signals Regiment and the long-serving RAF tactical supply wing in Stafford were both granted the freedom of the borough. There was a procession and parade in the town centre, and the streets were lined with members of the public, who cheered and warmly welcomed the troops who participated. On 28 February 2009, the same 22 Signals Regiment was newly returned from six months' duty in Afghanistan. The town celebrated the regiment's safe homecoming with another parade through the centre of Stafford ending in the market square. I am pleased to report to the House that the crowds that lined the streets were even thicker and more voluble than last year in their support for the soldiers. Later in the day, I had the opportunity to talk to some of the soldiers and their families who had taken part in the parade. Many of the soldiers expressed how strongly they had been moved by the presence of so many members of the public welcoming them back to Stafford. One young man said that it was the most moving event of his life. I will discuss further the welcome that the military receive in Stafford later in my speech. The other part of my speech last time concerned Operation Borona, which involves the return of thousands of soldiers to Britain from bases in Germany.