While the government has been accused in the last few years of neglecting the plight of soldiers’ working and operational difficulties in Iraq and Afghanistan, another problem is happening back home over whether they will be able to find a place to live.
In this BBC report, the Ministry of Defence has been criticised for leaving around 2,400 homes allocated for Army soldiers and families empty for over a year. Around 100 of these have been empty for almost a decade, many are so neglected for so long they cannot be lived in. The estimated bill for these homes including repairs and security,with payment of utility bills and council tax stands around £13million. Critics argue they stand at a much higher level then that.
This will certainly mean that existing servicemen and women will return from active duty to be sent to live in substandard accomodation. If the government claims, in public at least, that they are helping Our Boys (and Girls), how come, behind the scenes, they are doing their utmost best to undermine them?