I have got nothing but praise for our armed forces

Brown hits back on forces funding
British soldiers in Afghanistan
The government says defence spending is second only to the US

PM rejects criticism
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has rejected criticism from five former military chiefs about the treatment of and funding for the armed forces.

He said he had "nothing but praise" for the forces, and was putting more money into defence "than ever before".

Former chief of staff Lord Boyce said making Des Browne defence and Scottish secretary had been an "insult".

Tory leader David Cameron has written to Mr Brown asking him to divide the roles between two people.

'Great courage'

Asked about the criticism, the prime minister, who is in Kampala, Uganda, for a Commonwealth summit, said: "I have got nothing but praise for our armed forces.

"I have visited them in Iraq and Afghanistan and what they are doing are acts of great courage.

I will put my record in relation to both commitment and delivery up against anyone's
Des Browne
Defence secretary

Browne defends dual role
Analysis: MoD spending battle

"I want to see the armed forces properly equipped with the resources that they need. And that's why we've been increasing expenditure on defence compared with the cuts under the previous government."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7108650.stm