Daily Mail - 30.07.2019

Page 14 Daily Mail, Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Ministers ‘no

help’ in troop

witch-hunts

AN Army major being investigated for the

eighth time over the death of an Iraqi 16

years ago last night accused ministers of

using soldiers as ‘political fodder’.

Major Robert Campbell, 46, also criti-

cised generals for ‘doing nothing to help’

as hundreds of troops were quizzed over

their actions more than a decade ago.

Maj Campbell and his comrades have

been repeatedly cleared over the drown-

ing of Said Shabram, 19, in 2003. His case

is currently being examined by the Iraq

Fatality Investigations team – despite

pledges that such probes would stop.

The inquest-style hearing is effectively

on hold after the death of retired High

Court judge Sir George Newman, who was

leading it.

Maj Campbell, who suffers from PTSD,

hearing loss and multiple physical inju-

ries, said: ‘Generals and the ministers all

sat on their hands while their own soldiers

had their careers, marriages, mental

health and reputations destroyed.’

His comments came after Boris Johnson

unveiled Britain’s first dedicated veter-

ans’ office – led by Paymaster General

Oliver Dowden, who sits in cabinet, and

former Army officer Johnny Mercer.

Maj Campbell said he was ‘cautiously’

hopeful it would help end the witch-hunts.

The Mail has campaigned to put an end

to the hounding of troops who served in

Iraq, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland.

Unconditional

offers hit 38%

TWO in five students received at least

one unconditional offer of a university

place this year – despite fears that it

leads to falling standards.

Some 38 per cent of youngsters were

made such offers in 2019 – up from 34 per

cent in 2018, according to admissions

body UCAS. Six years ago, the proportion

was just 1 per cent.

Unconditional offers guarantee a univer-

sity place regardless of A-level grades.

Institutions have resorted to using them

because of an oversupply of places, leav-

ing them competing to attract students.

However studies have shown that young-

sters with such offers are less likely to

achieve their predicted exam grades.

Paul Cottrell, from the University and

College Union said: ‘Unconditional offers

have made a mockery of exams... and can

encourage some [students] to take their

foot off the gas.’ The Office for Students

watchdog said it was ‘concerning’ the

practice is still so widespread despite

warnings to universities.

A TORY MP told of

his ‘huge relief’

last night after the

police dropped

investigations into

his clash with a

protester.

Mark Field was

suspended as a

Foreign Office min-

ister by Theresa

May after he manhandled Greenpeace

activist Janet Barker at a high-profile

dinner in London last month.

He was not retained as a minister when

Boris Johnson took over as PM last week.

Downing Street yesterday confirmed

that a Cabinet Office probe into whether

Mr Field, pictured, breached the minis-

terial code has been dropped.

The City of London Police also said it

would be taking no further action.

Last night Mr Field said: ‘I am hugely

relieved that the matter is now consid-

ered closed.’

However, a Conservative probe into Mr

Field’s conduct is still ongoing. It means

he could end up losing the party whip.

Labour also repeated its call for him to

be kicked out of the Tory party.

Tory ‘grabbing’

probe dropped

SIGN THE MAIL’S PETITION

change.org/dementiacare

END DEMENTIA

CARE COST

BETRAYAL

CAMPAIGN

200,

...and growing as more

and more back call to

end care costs scandal

SIGNATURES on the Daily Mail’s petition to

end the dementia care costs scandal has

soared past 200,000. The Mail is calling for

the Government to end its neglect of fam-

ilies living with the burden of dementia.

We have been inundated with support

from those hit by a ‘tax on dementia’ –

with families spending £15billion support-

ing relatives with the condition in the last

two years alone. In that time 770,000 over-

65s have been turned down for care fund-

ing by local authorities.

Charities, academics and celebrities -

have backed the campaign. The campaign

is calling for Boris Johnson to urgently

set-up a cross-party group to examine

new options for funding dementia care.

And he must set up an NHS ‘dementia fund’

to help families pay the extra cost of sup-

porting those affected by dementia com-

pared to other conditions. Barry Warner,

adding his name to 204,000 others on the

change.org website last night, said: ‘It is

an outrageous situation when people

have saved for their old age and paid taxes

all their lives and are robbed by uncaring

government at the end.’

Alzheimer’s at 58, urged Mr

Johnson to triple dementia

research spending to bring it

broadly in line with the figure

spent on cancer.

She also backed the Daily

Mail’s dementia care campaign,

which is calling for an urgent

solution to the social care crisis.

More than 200,000 people have

signed the Mail’s petition

demanding an end to the scan-

dal in which countless people

have to sell their homes to pay

for their care. Miss Pirie said:

‘We have been to hell and back

sorting out my mother’s care.

Families have to jump through

so many hoops just to get the

right level of care. You are

already having to cope with so

much as it is, you shouldn’t have

to deal with this as well. My

mother is now in a good place

with her care but I was shocked

at how hard it was to arrange.’

Some 850,000 people in the UK

have dementia – of which 500,

have Alzheimer’s. Miss Pirie, of

Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, who

works for a heating company,

has a 50 per cent chance of

developing Alzheimer’s in the

next two decades.

‘I do not want my daughter to

have to jump through the same

hoops I have had to if I need the

same care,’ she said.

Miss Pirie does not know yet if

she carries the rare genetic fault

which significantly raises the

risk of early-onset Alzheimer’s.

If she does, then Olivia will have

a 50/50 chance of carrying the

gene too. ‘It’s genetic pot luck,’

Miss Pirie said.

The Government spends

£83million on dementia research

a year – against £270million for

cancer. The Department of

Health said: ‘We have committed

to spend at least £60million a

year on dementia research and

last year spent more than £80mil-

lion to accelerate progress in

early detection, improved treat-

ment, prevention and care.’

also fall victim. Writing yesterday to the

Prime Minister, she said: ‘I need to

know that everything possible is being

done to protect the future for my

daughter and the rest of her generation

to end the heartbreak that dementia

causes. I am asking you in your new

role as Prime Minister to make a com-

mitment to increase funding for demen-

tia research and help find the treat-

ments we so desperately need.’

Miss Pirie, whose mother Tracey is

already in a care home with advanced

A YOUNG mother who has a

50/50 chance of developing Alzhe-

imer’s in her 40s has pleaded

with Boris Johnson to boost

funding for dementia research.

Carli Pirie, 31, has a genetic fault

which puts her at high risk of get-

ting the disease while she is young.

Her mother, grandmother and great-

grandfather all developed early-onset

Alzheimer’s – and Miss Pirie is terrified

her 11-year-old daughter, Olivia, may

Main picture: Carli Pirie Left: Miss Pirie’s mother

Tracey Right: Her daughter Olivia

Help us fight

the heartbreak

of dementia

By Ben Spencer

Medical Correspondent

Mother, 31, with

50/50 chance of

Alzheimer’s begs

new PM to triple

research budget

Picture: ALBAN DONOHOE

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