Forget the “Tory Taliban”, Labour MPs are using a Private Members Bill to push for equal treatment of members of the Armed Forces

Much has written in the last few days about the raft of Bills introduced by the self-proclaimed “Tory Taliban”. These Tory backbenchers have introduced more than 40 Bills on a range of issues from bringing back the death penalty to immediate withdrawal from the European Union. They claim that these Bills are an “Alternative Queens Speech” and reflect the priorities of grassroots Conservative activists. Contrast these Bills with 8 introduced at the same time by myself and my colleague Andy Sawford. Our Bills – endorsed by the Labour Party – would tackle a range of issues from tackling the cost of train fares to abolishing zero hours contracts. The first of the Bills on our list is one to tackle some of the discrimination faced by members of our Armed Services.

I want to thank LabourList for the chance to set out why this Bill is a priority for Labour MPs.

Next Saturday in communities up and down the country, people will be coming to together to honour the contributions made by those who serve our country as part of the now annual Armed Forces Day. Since it was first introduced by the then-Labour Government in 2009, it has become an established fixture in the calendar. However we in the Labour Party recognise that our commitments to those who serve and their families exist all year round. Jim Murphy deserves a huge amount of credit for highlighting the current Government’s failures to support service personnel and their families. In particular his work around how we provide the best education to the children of personnel and ensuring Local Government provides for service-leavers and their families is worth commending. Equally his campaign to give veterans a fair deal after they leave the Armed Forces is miles ahead of anything that the Conservative-led Government is doing.

Unfortunately too often Armed Forces personnel still suffer discrimination, verbal or even physical abuse. A recent survey of current Armed Forces personnel conducted by Lord Ashcroft with the assistance of the Ministry of Defence revealed some shocking statistics. The survey discovered that within the past five years 21% had been subject to verbal abuse, 18% had been refused service in hotels, pubs or restaurants simply for wearing their uniforms and 6% had been the victims of violence or attempted violence. These figures are simply unacceptable and are stain on the type of society that the Labour Party wants to create.

That’s why we want to make it illegal for shops, restaurants, hotels and pubs to refuse to serve Armed Forces personnel, their families and veterans simply because of their service to our country. The Chief of the Defence Staff Sir David Richards has spoken about the need to change the perception of those who serve, and this Bill will, if passed, play be another contribution to that cultural change. For too long those who have bravely served our nation abroad have faced discrimination at home. The Bill I am presenting to the House today, the Armed Forces (Prevention of Discrimination) Bill, will outlaw the unacceptable behaviour of a minority of business who refuse to treat members of the Services equally on the grounds that they are a member of the Armed Forces. These businesses do not only embarrass our communities but they undermines the sacrifices and patriotism of those in uniform.

The equal treatment of members of the Armed Forces is an issue Labour will continue to campaign on. I just hope that Tory MPs will be as enthusiastic about strengthening the principles of Armed Forces Day as they are about introducing a Margaret Thatcher Day.

Thomas Docherty is the Labour MP for Dunfermline and West Fife