'Inappropriate' to blame Brown personally for war deaths |

Monday 13th July 2009 | 16:09

'Inappropriate' to blame Brown personally for war deaths

MPs and other political insiders have rejected the notion put forward by the opposition and some media commentators that Gordon Brown should bear personal responsibility for soldiers' deaths in Afghanistan

The shadow defence secretary Liam Fox today accused Gordon Brown of ‘the ultimate dereliction of duty’ in Afghanistan, as as the remaining six of the eight soldiers killed between Thursday and Friday in Afghanistan were named.

The Daily Telegraph ran with a headline or "Brown's 'dereliction'" above photographs of the eight soldiers. A columnist this morning also argued that Brown was guilty of 'corporate manslaughter'.

But the latest result from the PoliticsHome Phi100 survey suggests that a majority of Westminster insiders see this kind of rhetoric, which frames war deaths as the personal responsibility of the Prime Minister, as inappropriate.

Represented on the Phi100 panel are MPs and peers, key party strategists and advisers, media commentators, academics and think tank leaders.

A heavy majority of panellists on the left felt such a strategy was inappropriate. Lib Dem and non-aligned panellists also strongly backed this point of view, with only those on the right disagreeing.

Overall, sixty eight per cent of the panel held the view that it was inappropriate to frame the deaths in this way. A third disagreed.

Party political

A left-leaning panellist thought that it was inappropriate ‘to personalise and party politicise the issue in this way’.

Agreeing, a non-aligned panellist dismissed Fox’s comments as ‘political opportunism of the worst kind’.

A Lib Dem panellist put forward the interpretation that: ‘Liam Fox is only saying this because the Tories were wrong-footed by Nick Clegg last week.’

A right-leaning panellist thought that attaching personal blame to the deaths was inappropriate, but added: ‘The issue of funding military expenditure is vital, and the role of Chancellors has been central to the current situation.’

Leave a comment...

Spotter

16:41 |
13 Jul 2009
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2

"Overall, sixty eight per cent of the panel held the view that it was inappropriate to frame the deaths in this way. A third disagreed."

Your bar chart title is wrong.

alan eastwood

17:01 |
13 Jul 2009
Recommended
8

Brown is the Prime Minister of this Country. It is he who is in charge. He has failed our troops. It is highly appropriate to blame him and certainly not opportunist!

Strange that Labour can throw whatever they like, even make up disgraceful stories, and that is okay. But when they are caught wanting it is NEVER their fault.

I noticed that the Defence Secretary( Col Blimp) and the Prime Minister, the woeful Brow could not mention any of the names of those killed serving their Country. What cowards they are.

Thank goodness Mr Cameron spoke their names. But, of course, that was opportunist.

I do think, when you talk about left or right 'leaning' panellists you should name them. Far too much is allowed under the shield of anonymity. It is wrong. People should have the guts to be prepared to back their statements!

christina speight

17:01 |
13 Jul 2009
Recommended
10

Brown has been cutting the Defence budget (except for aircraft carriers to be built iin his constituency) for 12 years now. He is responsible for buying expensive late delivered hardware to suit the EU when better products were - and ARE - available from the USA, Canada, S Africa at cheaper prices and for much quicker delivery. He has starved the troops of equipment as well as ensuring there are not enough soldiers in the army to do the job. Brown is responsible .

oldrightie

23:06 |
14 Jul 2009
Recommended
1

Spot on Christina. Good to see people on here, I was getting lonely.

Kevin R Lohse

21:39 |
13 Jul 2009
Recommended
4

It would be very revealing for you to to poll your insider panel as to how many have seen military service. and how they voted. The average village person probably doesn't care a hoot about the Afghan War, and sees only the situation where politicians are held accountable for the failure of their policies. They wouldn't want that to happen- it might be them next time.

deepbluemorocco

12:27 |
18 Aug 2009
0

Yes. I'm afraid Brown (but mainly Blair) is to blame. He's had more than enough time to pull the troops out. The dead bodies are piling up at his feet.

Let's see Tony send Euan Blair to the front line.

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