Chris Elmore MP backs UK Armed Forces as he gives thanks for their contributions ahead of Armed Forces Day

21st June, 2022

To mark Armed Forces Day on Saturday 25 June, Chris Elmore, MP for Ogmore, has praised and thanked the contributions of UK Armed Forces in defending communities at home and abroad.

From deployments abroad in response to the invasion of Ukraine to deployments at home during the Covid-19 pandemic, our Armed Forces are essential to national defence, national resilience and national NATO obligations.

The UK Tory Government has left our Armed Forces with weakened foundations, having cut the Army to its smallest size in 300 years. In the past 12 months, the Labour Party has called on Ministers to halt army cuts, campaigned for Commonwealth veterans who have served at least four years and their families to have visa fees scrapped, and promoted a new duty of care to allow personnel to receive better legal and welfare support.

Armed Forces Day is held each year on the last Saturday of June to celebrate the service and sacrifice of our UK Armed Forces, veterans and their families.

Chris Elmore MP has long called for the Veterans ID card to be rolled out at pace as the current process is taking too long. He raised this issue in the House of Commons on several occasions and still little action has been taken by the UK Tory Government.

Chris Elmore, MP for Ogmore, said:

This Armed Forces Day we have so much to thank our armed forces personnel for. From supporting the Covid-19 response effort around the country, to defending NATO allies from Russian aggression, our Armed Forces have been essential to our national defence and resilience.

Meanwhile the Tories are failing our Armed Forces and veterans. Since 2010, the Government has cut the full-time strength of our Armed Forces by over 40,000. One in five ships have been removed from the Royal Navy’s surface fleet, Tory Ministers have delayed the delivery of the fully-modernised warfighting division by 5 years, and funding for mental health for UK veterans is far too low.

Labour would stop the cuts being made to our Armed Forces, boost veterans mental health support by £35m, as well as improving the quality of Armed Forces housing and employment support for veterans.

Our armed Forces go above and beyond to keep us safe, and give the ultimate public service. It’s only right that the UK Government should support them properly in return.”

To see Chris Elmore MP’s previous questions on veterans please visit: