Gene Plews, a local man and army veteran with the Coldstream Guards, has written in to Oakham Nub News explaining why he believes that backing Penny Mordaunt was a big mistake made by the Rutland and Melton MP, Alicia Kearns.

During the race for leadership, Alicia Kearns voiced her support for the "PM for PM" campaign made by Conservative MP and Minister of State for Trade of United Kingdom, Penny Mordaunt.

However, not all local people agreed with her stance, and are relieved that Mordaunt is now out of the race.

Gene Plews is one of these people, and has told Oakham Nub News why:

As an army veteran having served with the 1st btn Coldstream Guards during the Northern Ireland civil war in the mid 1970s, Alicia Kearns (MP) "gets it all wrong" with her "Ill conceived and naive" public backing for Penny Mordaunt as the next Prime Minister.

Penny Mordaunt, when previously acting as the former armed forces minister during 2019, let former Northern Ireland veterans down terribly by siding with former prime minister's Cameron and May by voting against giving Northern Ireland veterans the same rights as those who had served in other later theatres of operations involving British troops under a new bill called "statute of limitations".

This new "statute of limitations bill" covered a maximum of ten years after any conflict involving British troops had ended to protect all armed forces personnel from being legally investigated or any vexatious claims made against them at a later date.

This same protection was not afforded to all Northern Ireland veterans. Why? 

Because of her actions and that of Cameron and May, hundreds of former Northern Ireland vets were hounded to their graves by Northern Ireland police-led historical investigation branches.

These investigations stretched back over 50 years, what took so long then to want to start hounding former soldiers now? What a betrayal.

Great, is it not, that whilst veterans were being hounded at a later date, the then prime minister Tony Blair was busy dishing out so called "on the run" comfort letters to IRA terrorists promising anonymity, whilst also letting hundreds of terrorists out of jail?

Former army veteran Dennis Hutchings aged 78 who I was very proud to have stood with at the Supreme Court in London during court hearings held a few years ago before Covid arrived actually died on trial in Belfast last year suffering from cancer, even though a shooting incident he was investigated about during 1974 was dismissed twice before in earlier courts hearings.

Why did he have to appear in a so called "diplock court" in Belfast in front of one Catholic judge originally designed for terrorist trials? 

Since when was former soldier Dennis hutchings a terrorist? Disgusting.

What a way to treat veterans. Johnny Mercer MP, the then veterans minister stood with Dennis Hutchings to the very end, as did many of us also who all knew better, he to was outraged at the treatment dished out to former old soldiers who were at the end of it all, acting under officer\and queens orders. 

Disgusting betrayal of our armed forces by Mordaunt, and of all those who served in the Parachute regiment during the 1970s who again were hounded by historical investigations branches, not one has since been charged with any offence either as far as I am aware?

During the Iraq war Mordaunt again, when acting as armed forces minister and before the new statute of limitations bill, was enshrined in law allowed legal people like Phil shiner a former solicitor now in prison for his dodgy legal claims made against British troops whilst acting on behalf of hundreds of made up and vexatious claims by Iraqi civilians against British troops.

To date as far as I am aware not one conviction again against any former soldier has been upheld and he remains in prison.

Perhaps now you can see why hundreds of veterans living in Stamford and Rutland including me detest Mordaunt. She is not fit to represent the armed forces at the highest level in office, despite her and the very naive Kearns claiming otherwise. 

Yours sincerely,

Mr G Plews

Ex 1st Btn, Coldstream Guards.

Now that Mordaunt is out of the race to become the next Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, who traded blows at their TV debate on the 25th of July 2022, are the only remaining candidates.

It seems that since Mordaunt's removal from the race, Kearns will be supporting Rishi Sunak.

.@RishiSunak's made clear he understands the systemic threat we face from the CCPI want to see our next leader take the action needed to defend our country against the threats against our rules based int'l systemI have confidence Rishi will do exactly that #Ready4Rishi 8/

— Alicia Kearns, MP for Rutland and Melton (@aliciakearns) July 25, 2022

Still, Mordaunt's removal from the race and the issues raised by Gene Plews may have an impact on the future of Alicia Kearns.

Will you still be voting for Alicia in the next elections?

Yes or no? Get in touch and tell us why by emailing [email protected].

We look forward to hearing from you.