Today’s Zero is…Gordon Brown. It’s reported today that a young paratrooper who suffered a total of 37 terrible injuries when he was blown up by a landmine in Afghanistan is only to be awarded little over £150,000.Ben Parkinson, 23, lost both his legs and sustained grievous damage to his spine, skull, pelvis, hands, spleen and ribcage. The £150,000 awarded to him by the MOD is less than a third of the £484,000 paid to an RAF typist who said she had suffered from repetitive strain injury to her thumb.
Ben Parkinson is a hero and should be treated like one by the government. So should every serving soldier and every veteran. These brave men and women are prepared to sacrifice their lives so that we may live in freedom and safety in Britain.
The level of other damages awards in Britain is not particularly relevant. The simple fact is that men such as Ben Parkinson should be properly looked after when they return from the front, be they injured or unharmed. And they should also be properly equipped when serving on the front line.
The fact they are taken for granted by Gordon Brown is a sorry indictment on his time as Chancellor.
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