Labour has been accused of ‘gagging’ military chiefs after being embarrassed by an RAF officer’s claims that Russia could overwhelm Britain’s defences.
Earlier this summer there were complaints of ‘unprecedented’ interference by Downing Street to ensure that key announcements on defence were made by politicians, not military figures.
The move prompted accusations of ‘micro-management’ by the Labour Government when senior officers were also restricted at one key conference to only speaking ‘off the record’.
But now sources have told The Mail on Sunday that No 10’s move came after senior RAF officer Blythe Crawford lifted the lid on the weakness of UK air defences.
Speaking at a Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) conference in April, Air Commodore Crawford revealed the results of a special war-game simulation based on the first day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
It showed the UK could not successfully fend off a similar Russian attack made up of jets, drones and missiles.
Air Comm Crawford also warned that the UK, despite being on the western edge of Europe, can no longer make ‘assumptions that we are safe’, adding: ‘We need to assume that we’re under threat.’
A few weeks later, ahead of a major land warfare conference it was hosting, RUSI alerted the military chiefs attending to a ‘late change in reporting rules’ which meant most speeches and panel appearances by officers ‘will not be for reporting’.
Now there are claims that officers attending next month’s Defence, Security and Equipment International show in London have received a directive reminding them that they could not speak to the media without Downing Street’s permission.
Tory Armed Forces spokesman Mark Francois branded the Ministry of Defence ‘a real mess’ under Labour, adding: ‘The MoD is not a happy ship at present.’
But last night a Government source insisted there is no ‘gag’ on public speaking, saying: ‘The process has always been on a case-by-case basis.’
They added that this arrangement had been ‘in place under governments of all political colours’.
