Major claims PM using troops as 'party political prop'

Published on Saturday 6 March 2010 19:20

GORDON Brown came under renewed fire yesterday as he announced hundreds of vehicles to protect troops during a surprise visit to Afghanistan.

The row came as Brown arrived in Helmand to visit the frontline forces in Afghanistan. He announced a 100 million package of 200 new patrol vehicles had been purchased to replace the Snatch Land Rovers blamed for many of the deaths caused by roadside bombs.

The new vehicles, which should arrive in Afghanistan by late 2011, are smaller and lighter than the Mastiff and Ridgeback armoured personnel carriers which are already taking over some of the tasks of the more vulnerable Snatch.

An additional 18m will also be spent on equipment and training for Afghan forces to deal with the improvised explosive devices used by the Taleban. And 150 new instructors from the UK police and army will be deployed.

Yesterday former prime minister Sir John Major accused Brown of using British troops as a "party political prop" on his visit to Afghanistan as the deaths of two more British soldiers were announced.

One soldier from the 3 Rifles unit, based in Edinburgh, was fatally wounded from an explosion on a foot patrol on Friday, and the other was hit by small arms fire on Saturday while on an operation against insurgents, both in Helmand province.

Meanwhile, a new poll yesterday reversed the Conservatives' current slide as the party hit 40 per cent for the first time since mid-February.