TOBY PERKINS MP Member of Parliament for Chesterfield House of Commons ‘The Rt Hon David Cameron MP Westminster The Prime Minister SW1A 0AA +10 Downing Street ‘SW1A2AA 23% May 2016 Dear Prime Minister, | was pleased to see you on Robert Peston’s show yesterday setting the record straight about the veto held by all members of the European Union on the accession of Turkey or any other proposed new Member State. | was also pleased to see that you condemn the comments by your Minister of State for the Armed rorces, Penny Mordaunt, on the Andrew Marr Show regarding the veto issue as ‘absolutely wrong’ We all realise that the EU Referendum has caused significant frictions in the Conservative Party and the Government; and that people on different sides of an argument can have different opinions However, Penny Mordaunt’s response to the questions asked of her on the Andrew Marr Show went beyond political argument and was simply untrue. I note that, more than 24 hours after her grossly misleading statements, we have still heard no apology or even a retraction from her. it seems totally unacceptable for the Minister responsible for our Armed Forces to play so fast and loose with basic facts, and | would urge you to insist that this member of your Government sets the record straight by withdrawing her remarks? If she refuses to do so, how can anyone expect the members of our Armed Forces to retain confidence in her, and indeed, as Prime Minister, how can you? Hook forward to your reply. Yours sincerely, tA. ji) IAN FL Toby Perkins MP Shadow Minister for the Armed Forces Toby Perkins, Labour Member of Parliament for Chesterfield .wwwetobyperkins.orguk © 0207 219 2320 ~® toby.perkins.mp@parliament.uk