Armed Forces declare war on Gordon

Britain's most distinguished servicemen have fired ferocious salvos at the Government, and Gordon Brown in particular, because of the current state of the Armed Forces. The former heads of the Army, Air Force and Navy together with the present Chief of the Defence Staff and Chief of the General Staff have spearheaded the assault on the Labour Government for the years of underfunding which have left the Services overstretched and underequipped. Such concerted and public expressions of dissatisfaction are unprecedented.

...... and it is disgraceful that in the Queen's Speech Hash Brown didn't thank the Armed Forces for their work in Iraq and Afghanistan and it is an insult that at a time of war the Secretary of State for Defence is a part-timer.

"When you have got people who have been killed and maimed in the service of their government, and you put at the head of the shop someone who is part-time, that sends a very bad message. They feel insulted. They feel that he is treating them with contempt."

• The Independent: Former military chiefs mount fierce assault
• The Telegraph: The Army needs - and deserves - more money
• The Telegraph: Army funding shortage 'is insult to troops'
• The Guardian: On the attack over record on armed forces