Former head of Royal Navy tells LBC he is 'rather surprised' at MoD's plans to crackdown on sailors boozing
Lord Alan West suggested it could be followed by sailors being made to "only have salads at lunchtime"
The former First Sea Lord, Lord Alan West, has told LBC’s Andrew Marr that he is against the MoD's plan to limit sailors’ alcohol consumption.
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LBC
The former head of the Royal Navy has told LBC he is "rather surprised" at the Ministry of Defence's decision to crackdown on the amount of alcohol being consumed by sailors. The former First Sea Lord, Lord Alan West, questioned the Navy's priorities, suggesting money should be better spent elsewhere, such as on "repair work and maintenance."Speaking to LBC's Tonight with Andrew Marr, Lord West said: "I think I have to say I'm rather surprised that this edict has come down to be quite honest. "The Navy is the smallest it's been for 400 years. We don't seem to have enough money to do repair work and maintenance and everything else, and yet the MoD is focusing on how much drink people consume. Read more: Iran issues stark warning after President Trump orders US Navy 'armada' to Middle EastRead more: John Swinney accuses MoD of 'weaknesses' in defending Scottish waters
Lord West described the matter as being "over policed.".
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Alamy
"I would leave it to the responsibility of the sailors."Under new guidance, crews will be restricted to 14 units of alcohol per week - the equivalent of around six pints of beer - and ships will be dry on certain days.Official documents titled Alcohol Policy Onboard Ships, show that the level of alcohol consumption aboard ships "remains a significant concern" to service chiefs.The documents, seen by the Daily Mail, indicate 48 per cent of Navy personnel are estimated to consume alcohol to excess – down from 55 per cent in 2023.
Admiral Chester William Nimitz (1885 - 1966, left), the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied forces in the Pacific during World War II, drinks a toast after receiving the Knight Grand Cross of the Order.
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Getty
Lord West told Andrew there were "very strict" rules in place about being drunk, and admitted Americans will "come swarming over to drink" if they're in harbour with a British ship in NATO Force.When asked if he thought the crackdown would put off people joining the Navy, the former boss said: "I don't necessarily think it'll stop people coming into the Navy, but I do think it's over policed."If we start down this route, the next thing is that you should only have salads at lunchtime and the whole raft of other things like that. "I'm afraid certain things have to be up to people's choice. You give them an opportunity and I think we can trust sailors, and we have very strict rules. "If you're drunk, you get hammered for it in the Navy, and I don't think this is necessary, it just seems unfortunate."He added that there was an "element" of political correctness being imposed.Lord West told Andrew: "We want men and women who are going to work really closely together be bonded together to fight, and when you fight, people die. "My ship was sunk in the Falklands War where 20 of my boys were killed. That's what you want. Now, that's not health and safety, is it? "I think we've got to be quite careful about this."
