FOULKES UNDER FIRE OVER SMEAR CAMPAIGN

FOULKES UNDER FIRE OVER SMEAR CAMPAIGN

CALLS FOR DOWNING ST TO DISTANCE ITSELF FROM PEER

Labour Lord, George Foulkes, is under fire over attempts to smear the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir Richard Dannatt, after the peer tabled parliamentary questions seeking to embarrass the head of the Armed Forces.

Lord Foulkes has previously attacked General Dannatt accusing the defence chief of giving 'succour to the enemy' for demanding more helicopters in Afghanistan, and recent media reports suggest Labour are co-ordinating an effort to smear the outgoing commander.

Lothians SNP MSP, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said:

“Lord Foulkes is well known for his petty parliamentary questions and it is no surprise he would be behind attempts to smear General Dannatt.

“Instead of asking serious questions about equipment and military strategy, George Foulkes is more interested in trying to embarrass the chief of the defence staff over his travel arrangements – it is beneath contempt and Downing Street should distance itself from these smears.

“General Dannatt has legitimately spoken out about the defence needs of our forces, and it is completely outrageous that this has been met with slurs and smears from Labour. It seems George Foulkes has continued where Damian McBride left off.

“What’s more, it has to be said that Lord Foulkes is on pretty thin ice when it comes to expenses himself – given he has the highest House of Lords claims per visit he makes.”