He said: ‘If greater militarisation of the South Atlantic or further “provocative” gestures are necessary to deter Argentina, then militarise and gesture we must.’ Last night, Colonel Richard Kemp, who was commander of British forces in Afghanistan, said the Government had to do all it could to deter an Argentinian attack. In a sign that Ministers are determined to ensure Argentina keeps getting the message, Tory MPs have been primed to raise the issue at defence questions in the Commons tomorrow.

The Prime Minister sparked fury in Buenos Aires by accusing Argentina of ‘colonialism’ after it persuaded South American nations to ban ships flying the islands’ flag in their ports. Only last month David Cameron revealed he had called a National Security Council meeting to make clear Britain would fight to defend the islanders’ right to stay British. 'Nuisance': The Admiral was highly sceptical of Prince William's appointmentīut Ministers have been determined not to repeat the mistake of 1982 when the then Government was accused of letting Buenos Aires think it no longer cared about the fate of the Falklands. Announcing the trip in advance in this way at this time was not helpful. The Defence Committee’s visit next month, the first of its kind for over a decade, was confirmed last week by Labour MP and committee member Thomas Docherty.Īn MoD source said: ‘The Defence Secretary was very unhappy about the way that came out. ‘It seems to me that the present defence posture down there is now adequate,’ he said. Maybe they were just trying to wind up the Argentinians, I don’t know.’Īdmiral Woodward warned last year that the Government’s defence cuts meant we would not have sufficient military might to defend the islands – although he now believes the situation has been remedied by reinforcements, including sending the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dauntless. I think it’s pointless, I can’t imagine why they sent him. ‘He’s not there as a military man, he is there as air sea rescue which is really not military at all. It’s never said, but it goes without saying. ‘If you have a Royal on board your ship it is the end of your career if he gets so much as a scratch.

You maintain it three times as carefully. ‘You have to take extra precautions that he doesn’t get shot down, that his plane doesn’t fail.

Pledge: Prime Minister David Cameron has said Britain would fight to defend the islander's right to stay British

One hundred days sandy woodward