Lord Richards of Herstmonceux, the former head of the military, has said he is ashamed by the Government’s decision not to allow UK troops’ longest serving Afghan interpreter into Britain
The former head of the military has said he is ashamed by the Government’s decision not to allow UK troops’ longest serving Afghan interpreter into Britain.
Lord Richards of Herstmonceux said last night that the translator – known as Ricky – was a ‘brave and loyal servant of the Armed Forces’.
The highly unusual intervention by Lord Richards in throwing his weight behind Ricky’s request for a new life in Britain will pile pressure on the Government to perform a U-turn.
Lord Richards, who was commander of international forces in Afghanistan, said that letting the interpreter in was a decision between ‘right and wrong’ and a key test of our ‘generosity of spirit’.
Ricky, 34, worked for the British military in Afghanistan for 16 years and was described by senior British officers as showing ‘unfailing loyalty’.
He has said that he translated for Lord Richards while operating in the Afghan capital, Kabul.
However, the Ministry of Defence Lord Richards made clear that he believed the interpreter should be given permission to settle in Britain.
He told the Daily Mail: ‘What is our country becoming when a brave and loyal servant of the Armed Forces is condemned to a life spent in fear and yet those who seek economic advantage are allowed into our country in their tens of thousands each year? What does this say of our lack of generosity of spirit and sense of right and wrong? I am ashamed of this decision and of those who took it.’
The interpreter, known as Ricky, worked for the British military in Afghanistan (pictured left) for 16 years and was described by senior British officers as showing ‘unfailing loyalty’
Last night, No 10 refused to back down on the current policy on the relocation scheme for Afghan interpreters, despite widespread condemnation from all parties and the military.
Asked if the Prime Minister was happy with the operation of the scheme, a spokesman said: ‘We recognise the service of those interpreters and that is why we have these schemes in place to provide support.’
The Daily Mail’s Betrayal Of The Brave campaign, launched in 2015, has highlighted a string of scandals in which interpreters have been abandoned. Three ex-heads of the military, former heads of the Army, Navy and RAF, Cabinet minister Liam Fox and MPs who served in the military have backed the campaign.
On top of this, 178,000 people have signed a petition to allow loyal interpreters to come to the UK – but still the Government has refused to amend its policy.
The Daily Mail’s Betrayal Of The Brave campaign has highlighted a string of scandals in which interpreters who risked their lives for UK troops have been abandoned in Afghanistan
The defence select committee is currently conducting an inquiry into the treatment of Afghan interpreters.
Under current rules, hundreds of interpreters are not allowed into the UK because they left British service before December 2012.
In Ricky’s case, he served on that specific date but he did not serve in Helmand Province – which is another rule in the policy that prevents translators from coming.
Helmand is considered to be the place of greatest risk – and as Ricky did not serve there he did not qualify for the government relocation scheme.
He did however serve on patrols in and around the capital, Kabul – a city deemed so dangerous that troops use armoured vehicles to drive around.
Yesterday, the Mail revealed that Brigadier Gerhard Wheeler CBE, one of the most senior officers in the country at the time, had said that Ricky ‘risked his life on numerous occasions’ to help UK troops.
What is our country becoming when a brave and loyal servant of the Forces is condemned to a life spent in fear, and yet those who seek economic advantage are allowed into our country in their tens of thousands each year?
He said in a letter in 2005 that he and his family were ‘more than deserving of a chance of a life in the UK’.
A second senior officer, now a major general, added that Ricky had made a ‘direct and significant contribution to the success of the United Kingdom’s mission in Kabul’.
Lord Richards commanded International Security Assistance Force elements in southern Afghanistan between 2006 and 2008, when Ricky was serving.
He was promoted to chief of the defence staff in October 2010 and served in the role for three years.
His explosive comments will put further pressure on the Government to change their policy, which is now at the centre of growing criticism.
Last night, a No 10 spokesman said: ‘We are extremely grateful to all those who played a pivotal role in helping our troops build a more secure Afghanistan.’
They added: ‘While we don’t comment on individual cases, more than 390 former Afghanistan staff and their families have been relocated to the UK and we expect to relocate over 40 more. We also have expert teams in both the UK and Kabul.’