UUP man calls on public to sign Number 10 petition for a special medal for our troops serving in Afghanistan
UUP East Belfast Representative and Castlereagh Councillor Michael Copeland today backed calls for a special medal to be awarded to British troops fighting Taliban in Afghanistan and urged the Northern Ireland public to sign a petition on the downing street website.
The online petition posted on the number 10 website seeks to award soldiers with a special medal above the standard Operational Service Medal.
Mr Copeland said given the high number of soldiers from Northern Ireland who have and are serving in Afghanistan, a special medal was only fitting.
He said,
“I fully support efforts to petition the government for a special medal, above the Operational Service Medal, for our troops who have served, are serving, or whom are still to serve in Afghanistan.
I think the public are only too aware of the intensity of the conflict with the Taliban, where many British Troops lives have been lost and where some of the fighting is the most ferocious seen in decades.
Given the high numbers of troops from Northern Ireland who have served and are in Afghanistan, I would hope that the public here would join me in supporting the call for a special medal and will, like me, sign the petition.”