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Archive for June, 2012

Jun 30

Sayeeda Warsi: My View: Their legacy is our liberty

Published in The Sun, myView : Their legacy is our liberty

By Sayeeda Warsi

ARMED Forces Day isn’t just about Britain’s service personnel.

It’s a day which is relevant to every single Briton.

The sacrifices of the Army, Navy and Air Force – past and present, at home and abroad – impact on all of us.

Today I will be thinking of my grandfathers, who fought in the Royal Sappers and Miners Regiment and were stationed in Burma and Aden, as well as the millions who fought in the Second World War.

Their legacy is our liberty.

And I will be thinking of our troops out in Afghanistan and their families and friends waiting anxiously at home.

They are creating a safer, more stable future.

I am proud to co-chair a party and serve in a government that recognises the forces’ bravery.

That’s why we doubled soldiers’ operational allowance.

It’s why we are rebuilding the military covenant.

And it’s why we’re determined to give servicemen and women the dignity they deserve.

So let’s make this a day when we think about the daily sacrifice made by our brave men and women.

And let’s fly the Union Jack in honour of our courageous, steadfast, professional, inspirational troops.

They truly are the best of British.

Jun 28

Sir Alex Allan’s Report

Commenting on the report published today by Sir Alex Allan, the Prime Minister said:

I asked Sir Alex Allan to look into allegations that Baroness Warsi had breached the ministerial code. He has reported back to me and I am satisfied with the conclusion he has reached that at no point did she use her office for any personal financial gain. He found that while there was a breach of the code it was a minor one for which Baroness Warsi has already apologised. Baroness Warsi is a great asset in building our reputation overseas and representing the British Government abroad in her role as Minister without Portfolio.

Minister without Portfolio Baroness Warsi said:

I have always maintained that I have never misused my ministerial office for personal or financial gain. The allegations on this matter were untrue and unsubstantiated and I am pleased that Sir Alex Allan’s report has confirmed that. The last month has been a difficult time for me and my family and I am pleased I can now move on from this period and get on with the job that I am privileged to do.

To read the full report click here

Jun 8

Guardian Comment is Free: Forced marriage has always been a crime in spirit

David Cameron is right to criminalise forced marriage. This abominable, inhumane act robs people of their lives

By Sayeeda Warsi published onFriday 8 June 2012 on guardian.co.uk

In deciding to criminalise forced marriage – the act of coercing a person to marry against their will – the government has made a bold statement: that this heinous, inhumane, oppressive act is never acceptable. The decision couldn’t come soon enough. The government’s forced marriage unit (FMU) provided advice or support in almost 1,500 cases last year, but the true picture is thought to be even graver.

One study in 2009 estimated that up to 8,000 women and men, girls and boys could be entering into unwilling unions each year, often being torn from their lives in Britain to live in an unknown land with an unknown spouse.

Shockingly, a third of victims assisted by the FMU last year were minors – schoolchildren who suddenly became spouses either here or abroad – the youngest reported case is thought to have been just five years old.

We must be clear. This is not like arranged marriage, where two parties consent. In forced marriage, to resist betrothal is to risk ostracism, abuse and even murder.

Currently, the law does not go far enough. Forced marriage protection orders were introduced in 2008, but breaching an order is only a breach of civil law. The message this sends out is a dangerous one: it says that Britain equates this enforced matrimony with mere civil misdemeanours. Read more