‘Give all our servicemen a medal’

Councillors Jim McMahon(left) and Shoab Akhtar present the framed motion to soldier Scott Healey

A FAILSWORTH soldier’s campaign to get a national medal for all members of the UK’s armed forces has been backed by local councillors.

Lance Cpl Scott Leach serves as a combat engineer with the Territorial Army’s 75 Engineer Regiment, and is training for possible deployment to Afghanistan.

He feels that all servicemen and women, regardless of whether they have fought in wars and campaigns, should get a National Defence Medal to show they have served their country.

He is calling on the town’s three MPs and all 60 councillors to support an Early Day Motion backing the idea which will be debated in the House of Commons.

Scott (23) already has the backing of Labour opposition leader Councillor Jim McMahon, and his deputy, Councillor Shoab Akhtar.

They are asking all Oldham’s councillors to support Scott at Wednesday’s council meeting.

Scott, a former St Augustine’s RC School pupil, who with partner Lauren has a 14-month-old daughter, Lily, has been a TA member for almost five years.

He is training with TA members preparing for a possible deployment to Afghanistan this year.

He said: “There is already a petition going to 10 Downing Street with 2,500 signatures, and a lot on Facebook about the idea.

“I have an uncle who served nine years with the Grenadier Guards in the 1980s, the majority of the time in Germany, training for possible invasion by Russia.

“What about a serviceman or woman who helps the defence of Britain in any way, such as helping injured soldiers recover from their horrific mental and physical injuries so they can return to service, do they not deserve a medal?

“Or a guardsman who stands guard at important landmarks in London? Let me remind you a guardsman was the first to wrestle with the man who fired six shots at the Queen. Do they not deserve a medal?”

As well as calling for the support of their fellow councillors and the three MPs, councillors McMahon and Akhtar are writing to the Armed Forces’ minister to outline their support.

Councillor McMahon also handed Scott a framed notice of the motion at Oldham war memorial and told him: “I’m pleased and proud to support the campaign. I urge the people of Oldham to sign the online Downing Street petition in support.”