Hoon’s job on the line
Geoff Hoon admitted Friday his job as defence secretary was in jeopardy in light of Lord Hutton’s report in the death of Dr David Kelly and the shocking revelations that armour shortages caused the death of a British soldier in Iraq.
Mr Hoon said he would consider his job prospects “in the light of whatever is said” by both inquiries.
“I am content to await the outcome of the various investigations and obviously to make decisions in the light of whatever is said.”
Mr Hoon is in hot water after it was revealed Sergeant Steven Roberts was shot dead in Basra during a riot on March 24th.
Military chiefs ordered the tank commander to hand back his flak jacket, according to his widow Samantha, who said her husband was fearful about his life because of the equipment shortages.
She accuses Mr Hoon of having “blood on his hands” and insists he must resign once the inquiry is over.
Mr Hoon yesterday said he was “extremely sorry” that Sergeant Roberts did not have the necessary “enhanced body armour.”
He added: “Indeed, some 38,000 sets of that body armour were sent to theatre. We wanted him to have that equipment and we are extremely sorry he did not have it.
“There is obviously and rightly a question of the overall effectiveness of both the military operation and indeed the logistics supply. I commissioned a detailed investigation by the Ministry of Defence into the all aspects of the operation. That was published on the same day as the National Audit Office report, which is an external audit of what happened.”
He said the conclusion of the NAO had deemed the operation in Iraq a ‘success’ and that ‘equipment performed successfully’ and the ‘logistics operation was huge.”
Nicholas Soames, the Tory defence secretary said Mr Hoon would not be let off the hook so easily by suggesting equipment shortages were “the fault of the commanders in theatre.”
“It is dishonourable to try and hide behind the military in this way.”
