A resigning matter

Sergeant Steve Roberts came from Wadebridge in Cornwall and died as a result of friendly fire in Iraq in 2003. If there had been enough enhanced combat body armour (cost just £167) to go round he would have survived. The former defence minister Geoff Hoon had delayed the order for this body armour by 8 weeks the lamentable excuse being that companies could not be asked to bid to supply the kit as it would have revealed preparations were already in hand for an invasion. This pathetic explanation makes me very very angry; how Mr Hoon can live with this I don't know. Well I do know I suppose - he's a politician, and what's more a politician from a totally discredited party. And I say that having no particular liking for any of the parties.

This is what assistant deputy coroner Andrew Walker said at the inquest " To send soldiers into a combat zone without the appropriate equipment is, in my view, unforgivable and inexcusable and represents a breach of trust that the soldiers have in those in government".

I don't think his comments can be blunter than that.

Mr Hoon should clearly do the honourable thing and resign but don't hold your breath that he actually will.