On my recent visit to British Forces in Cyprus, I saw for myself the courage, skill and dedication of the crews involved in fighting Daesh in Iraq and Syria as part of Operation Shader.
These servicemen and women work night and day to defeat Daesh, and in doing so they protect British citizens from the deadly threat posed by Daesh terrorists. And yet they do not currently qualify for a specific service medal.
It is clear that these service personnel are not looking for any particular award – they serve out of a sense of duty and professionalism – but I think it is only right that we as a nation honour their sacrifice with a specific Operation Shader medal.
Our Forces have been involved in this vital campaign for well over two years, and so it is high time for the Government to do the right thing and come forward with proposals for an award – this really is the very least that our brave men and women deserve.