James Alexander writing to voters urging them to back Debt Of Honour campaign (From York Press)

James Alexander writing to voters urging them to back Debt Of Honour campaign

7:54am Tuesday 22nd September 2009

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THOUSANDS of letters are to be sent out to people in York asking them to back The Press’s fight to win a fair deal for North Yorkshire’s wounded war heroes.

Our Debt Of Honour campaign – which has already drawn the support of around 700 readers – aims to force a rethink of the way troops left with the terrible physical and mental scars of service to the nation are compensated.

Now Coun James Alexander, Labour’s prospective Parliamentary candidate for the new York Outer seat at the next General Election, has launched a three-pronged injection of backing, which will see residents living in the area he hopes to represent receive letters driving home the importance of getting behind our quest for dignity and justice.

The letters will be circulated next month. Coun Alexander has also set up a petition on the Downing Street website and a Facebook group calling for people to lend their voice to Debt Of Honour’s objectives.

“My political colleagues in York have signed up to The Press’s campaign, as have people from all different political parties,” Coun Alexander said.

“I wanted to do my bit to help this very important campaign.

“If there is an injustice felt in compensation claims, an independent review – one of Debt of Honour’s aims – should take place.

“We owe it to those who have served their country to provide them with the best care and treatment possible. They are sacrificing their lives and their physical and mental health for our well-being, so they deserve every piece of support they get.”

As well as securing a review of the Ministry of Defence’s much-maligned Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, Debt Of Honour is also calling for more immediate support and funding for wounded personnel and proper recognition of the effects of psychological, as well as physical, injury.

Among the campaign’s supporters are the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, the Royal British Legion and other organisations which help injured servicemen and women, and those whose own lives have been ravaged by doing their duty. You can join them by adding your name to the petition>>

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