BRITAIN:Queen Elizabeth led the remembrance of Britain's war dead at the Cenotaph in London yesterday amid renewed political skirmishes over the Labour government's alleged failure to honour the "military covenant" with serving members of the armed forces.
British prime minister Gordon Brown and Conservative leader David Cameron were united with other political leaders - including the Rev Ian Paisley - as the queen laid the first wreath in memory of the fallen after the traditional two-minute silence at 11am.
However, Mr Cameron earlier accused Mr Brown's government of failing to support British troops in Afghanistan and Iraq and failing to keep the military covenant - "the 'unbreakable common bond of identity, loyalty and responsibility' which exists between the nation and its fighting men and women".
His intervention came alongside a row over a ban on serving soldiers injured in Iraq and Afghanistan participating in yesterday's Remembrance Day parade in Whitehall, prompting suggestions that the government was "ashamed" to have them seen in public. It was reported that the Royal British Legion had wanted to include young soldiers recuperating from their injuries in yesterday's event but was then forced to explain that government rules stipulated only "veterans" and not serving soldiers could take part. Phillip Cooper, father of 19-year-old Jamie Cooper - who lost the use of one leg and suffered serious wounds in Basra - told the Observer: "it is outrageous. I know any father would say this but I am just so proud of Jamie, of all he has sacrificed, and of how he has fought against all the odds to survive and get better. His government ought to be proud too - not ashamed of him."
With the ministry of defence (MoD) reportedly having to shelve projects to avoid a budget crisis - and with former defence chiefs repeatedly warning that the armed forces are overstretched and under-resourced - Mr Cameron claimed Britain's defence spending, as a proportion of GDP, was now "lower than at any point since the 1930s".
Noting that the MoD was spending £2 million refurbishing its Whitehall headquarters - at a time when the armed forces are almost 8,000 under strength - the Conservative leader said money needed to be spent more wisely, with more of it reaching the front line.
The Irish Government was represented at yesterday's Cenotaph service by Ambassador David Cooney, who attended as an observer at the invitation of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.