Viewpoint: Boris bunkers down

the wounds have been reopened

Boris Johnson has a number of battles on all fronts but he is trying to dodge the bullet | NEIL HALL

Humphrey CarterPalma08/09/2021 10:54

Nice to see Boris is hosting cocktail parties at Number 10 this week to “smooth over” any hard feelings with MPs and in particular back benchers which may have emerged over the summer, especially over Afghanistan - not to mention Covid and now social care reforms.

I have yet to see any plans to invite some Afghanistan veterans around for drinks to “smooth over” any ill-feeling there may be amongst the ranks over the rapid withdrawal from the country after 20 years of lives lost and members of the armed forces scarred for life either physically or mentally - or both.

I have been in touch with a number of veteran friends of mine I have met over the years through my work for a veterans’ association, through which we have been bringing veterans out to Mallorca for well earned breaks for nearly ten years and they are far from happy.

Many were not to begin with over the way in which they were treated by the Ministry of Defense, especially those who lost limbs fighting the Taliban and now, the wounds have been reopened and Boris would do well to take that in to account instead of trying to dodge the inevitable and spark a cross party argument over social care.

I get the impression he is trying to divert attention from the failings of Afghanistan. OK, he didn’t take the UK in, that was on “naive” Blair’s watch, but it is now his job to right the wrongs - not dodge the bullet.