Vernon Coaker MP Labour’s Shadow Defence Secretary, speaking about the review of women serving on the front line, said:

“We should be proud of the role played by women in our Armed Forces. Many of them already serve on the front line as medics, engineers, intelligence officers, fighter pilots and submariners.

"Labour called for the ban on women serving in combat roles to be looked at, with a view to ending it. Today’s announcement by the government is a step towards that and is welcome. The Armed Forces should give the same opportunities to women as it does to men and this move will hopefully ensure that becomes the case.”

Gloria De Piero MP Labour’s Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities said:

“In the last year women have been appointed to senior roles in the RAF and allowed to serve alongside their male counterparts as submariners in the Royal Navy.

"While that is welcome progress, there is still a lot to do to ensure a level playing field between men and women in the Armed Forces.

"Women still face discrimination and sexual harassment in our Armed Forces, and that’s why Labour called for a Services Ombudsman to deal independently with complaints. The Government said it would introduce one and now needs to get on with setting it up.”

Ends