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Harrier pilot has Cameron in his sights over cuts

Fran Yeoman
Tuesday 19 October 2010 19:00 EDT
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Few prime ministers like being confronted in public about the human cost of their decisions. Particularly not by an Afghanistan veteran with a war hero for a father.

David Cameron was taken to task yesterday by Lt-Cdr Kris Ward, a 37-year-old Harrier pilot, about plans to scrap the jets and the HMS Ark Royal. "I have flown 140-odd missions in Afghanistan, and I am now potentially facing unemployment ... How am I supposed to feel about that, please, sir?" he asked the Prime Minister who was visiting the Permanent Joint Headquarters in north-west London.

Mr Cameron thanked the serviceman for "everything" but insisted he had to "make decisions for the future".

Lt-Cdr Ward's father, Nigel – who was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross during the Falklands conflict – said his son was "absolutely right" to question the cuts.

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