Gordon Brown: “I’ve planned this visit for some time”
Gordon Brown has visited British troops in Afghanistan amid a growing row over his evidence to the Iraq war inquiry.
Downing Street told the BBC Mr Brown had rejected criticism from two ex-Army chiefs that as chancellor, he spurned requests for more equipment in Iraq.
No 10 also denied Conservative claims the PM was using the visit to divert attention away from the row.
During his trip the PM promised 2,000 more metal detectors and announced plans for a new light patrol vehicle.
‘Disingenuous’
The new military fleet would replace the controversial Snatch Land Rovers, which are vulnerable to attacks using Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
Downing Street insisted the timing of Mr Brown’s evidence to the Iraq inquiry and the trip to Helmand province were organised separately.
A long-running row between ministers and senior ex-Army commanders re-emerged on Friday after Mr Brown told the Chilcot inquiry that the military had been given everything it asked for during and after the Iraq invasion.
Lord Guthrie, ex-chief of the defence staff, said in the Daily Telegraph that armed forces had been denied a request for more helicopters.
And his successor, Lord Boyce, told the Times Mr Brown had been “disingenuous”.
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