Defence Secretary Des Browne has announced that The Queen has agreed that there will be a national memorial day and service at Westminster Abbey to mark the passing of the last World War I veteran. This is not quite the proposal for a state funeral for the last veteran, that was proposed by Iain Duncan Smith, but it is a victory for the campaign that IDS led. It is very possible that today's announcement would never have been made if Mr Duncan Smith's cross-party campaign had not taken place.
"Very possible"? I think I would go further and say "certain". As usual the government has jumped on a bandwaggon and stolen an idea promoted by a Tory.
Posted by: Donal Blaney | June 27, 2006 at 13:02
I personally think the national memorial & service a better choice than the state funeral (we had that for the Unknown Soldier and the repetition could not match the original).
I think its more than very likely but a certainty that it was IDS & colleagues who drove the MOD to this decision and they deserve praise for that.
Posted by: Ted | June 27, 2006 at 13:05