Press briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: Police Inquiry, Armed Forces and Washington Visit
Police Inquiry
No.
Armed Forces
Asked what the reaction was to General Sir Mike Jackson’s comments recently about the poor conditions and pay of the British troops, the PMOS replied that the Prime Minister had given his reaction yesterday, and the MOD in turn had given their reaction.
The PMOS pointed out the increase in the defence budget that was announced had allocated a £3.7 billion increase over the next three years which was the highest sustained growth in 22 years and the longest period (7 years) of sustained real terms growth in planned defence spending for over 20 years. Therefore, as the Prime Minister had said, he respected the General enormously, and recognized that there were always improvements that could be made. What the figures showed, and as Mike Jackson had acknowledged, this Government was spending more on defence than others had done.
Asked if the Prime Minister had been made aware of the recent big assault by UK troops in Basra, the PMOS replied that in terms of Basra, Operation Sinbad continued. With regards to the details, that was a matter for the commanders on the ground.
Washington Visit
Put to the PMOS that there had been quite a bit of comment overnight about the extent to which the Prime Minister and President were split over the Middle East, and there had been further comment that the President did not see any linkage between Iraq and a Middle East settlement, and what was the Prime Minister’s view, the PMOS said that if people listened to the President’s opening words yesterday, he had said that the Prime Minister had told him that he would be returning to the Middle East, and the President had welcomed that and endorsed it. That was important.
The PMOS continued that the other thing that people should recognise was that it was this current President who had been the first President to recognise the goal of two independent states living side by side. The President fully supported the efforts to try and get a resolution between Palestine and Israel, and Dr. Rice had been very active in the background trying to move that position forward. Therefore, there was no difference in terms of their goal. In terms of what the Prime Minister would try and do when he did return to the region, it would be to see what the steps were that could be taken to help unbar the door.
Asked if the Prime Minister was going to make a statement to the House of Commons, the PMOS said that he was not aware of any plans to do so at this stage. The Prime Minister had spoken on this often, and there would be, as usual, PMQs on Wednesday.
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