Yahoo News Army investigating footage of British soldiers 'using Corbyn poster as target practice'
The Army has confirmed it is investigating an ‘unacceptable’ video of servicemen appearing to use Jeremy Corbyn as target practice.
Footage captured in Kabul, Afghanistan, shows personnel from 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment using an image of the Islington North MP for target practice on a Simunition range.
It is understood it was a non-lethal hardened wax substance aimed and fired at the image instead of metal bullets, with the incident taking place in the past few days.
The range is designed for and used by personnel to practice what is called the ‘guardian angel drill’ – a force protection tactic.
Labour MP, Luke Pollard, said that the actions of the soldiers is ‘disgusting and wrong’ and that he hopes the Ministry of Defence ‘takes action swiftly’.
“The armed forces need to be outside of party politics. They serve the Government of the day – whoever that may be – and rightly so,” he added.
The behaviour of soldiers who used an image of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as target practice is ‘alarming and unacceptable’, a party spokesman has said.
Within hours of the footage appearing on social media, it was condemned by Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood.
He tweeted: “If authentic, this is unacceptable. Am looking into it.”
An Army spokesperson said: “We are aware of a video circulating on social media, this behaviour is totally unacceptable and falls well below the high standards the army expects.
“A full investigation has been launched.”
Alex Sobel, Labour MP for Leeds North West, tweeted that he submitted a parliamentary question to the Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson about the incident.
I’ve submitted this Parliamentary Question to @GavinWilliamson ‘To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to investigate a video circulating on social media that depicts British soldiers using a picture of the Leader of the Opposition as target practice.’ https://t.co/mSV6FyGbip
— (((Alex Sobel MP))) (@alexsobel) April 3, 2019
More to follow…
