There is a myth promulgated by the establishment that the military is above politics. They refer to it as a ‘constitutional convention’ as if using more syllables made it more true. It is not true, and General Sir Nicholas Houghton blew it out of the water today.
On the Andrew Marr Show on Sunday morning he was asked whether Jeremy Corbyn, the elected leader of the opposition, worried him when he declared he would never press the nuclear button.
If the convention were true, he should have politely ducked the question. He could have said it was for politicians to decide what role the army plays in international relations. He could have deferred to the British public, who might take that into consideration when deciding what leader they want at the next general election.
Instead he waded in with both of his highly polished military boots.
“It would worry me if that were translated into power” was his answer. So as far as the head of British Joint Services is concerned, the elected representative of the Labour Party would only be a worry if he were ever ‘in power’. And according to this big brass, ‘there’s a couple of hurdles to cross before we get to that’.
This man should be sacked. Immediately. And the same fate should befall any military leader who wades into the political arena while still in office.
I know the constitutional convention is a myth. I know that the military hierarchy has always put on a mask of neutrality until the chips are down; and whenever the chips are down their true colours come out. And I know that, when the vital interests of the capitalist class are threatened they will defend capitalism with whatever it takes. They will use ‘British values’ or ‘democracy’ or ‘freedom’ or any other high falutin’ sanctimonious cover for their abject subordination to the aim of maintaining the privileges, wealth and power of the existing elite. And they will be ruthless in putting down any attempt by the working class to take real power.
Even the slight whisper of a faint change from a soft reformist like Jeremy Corbyn brings these cockroaches scuttling out from the cracks.