“A reminder of the brutality of conflict” – Labour remembers those who served in WW1

Today marks the centenary of the UK’s entry into World War One. Ed Miliband will be at a service in Glasgow this morning, before attending another event at Westminster Abbery this evening. This morning, the Labour leader said that the anniversary serves as “a reminder of the brutality of conflict”:

“One hundred years ago, Britain entered into the First World War and hundreds of thousands of British soldiers gave their lives to protect the freedom that we still enjoy today. They fought valiantly and with incredible bravery in unimaginably horrific conditions. Young men from across Britain served alongside soldiers from across the world – from the Indian sub-continent to Africa, from Australia to the Caribbean. We must also remember those who served their country in other ways – from the nurses who risked their lives on the Western Front to those who played their part on the Home Front. The First World War will serve as a reminder of the brutality of conflict for generations to come and a reminder to those in power to avoid entering war unless it is absolutely necessary.”

Meanwhile, veteran Dan Jarvis – Labour’s lead on the First World War centenary – said:

“The First World War changed Britain forever. It was a conflict that touched every family, affected every community and fundamentally altered our country’s place in the world. Today’s centennial anniversary of the war’s outbreak is a unique moment for us all to pay tribute to those who laid down their lives for us a century ago and reflect on this important chapter in our national story. As the curtain falls on the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, we should be especially mindful of the soldiers who came from across the world to fight for Britain in our nation’s hour of need. We should also remember the heroes and heroines of the home front as well as the frontline. The people who contributed beyond the poppy fields of Flanders – those who toiled in mines and factories, worked the land and cared for the wounded – should never be forgotten. Neither should the story of how the conflict transformed our society. From the empowerment of women, to the expansion of our democracy and the changing role of the state, the First World War helped shape the lives we lead today.”

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.”