‘Ultimate insult’: Mother of war hero Ben Parkinson blasts Trump for saying Britain stayed away from front lines

Branding the comments the "ultimate insult", Mr Parkinson's mother, Diane Dernie, has spoken out following the claims, insisting she is “stunned as to how anyone could say such a thing”.

Mr Parkinson, 41, is widely regarded as the most severely injured British soldier to survive a tour of Afghanistan after his Army Land Rover hit a mine near Musa Qala in 2006.

It follows comments made by the US president which provoked outrage after he claimed that Nato troops stayed away from the front line during the Afghanistan conflict.

The US president made his comments in an interview with Fox News in which he reiterated his suggestion that Nato would not support America if asked.

Mr Parkinson is currently recuperating after yet another operation - almost 20 years after he was injured.

Mrs Dernie, from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has to “stand up for his own armed forces” and call out Mr Trump.

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She said: “I can assure you, the Taliban didn’t plant IEDs miles and miles back from the front line.

“To say that British troops, Nato forces, were not involved on the front lines – it’s just a childish man trying to deflect from his own actions, and it’s just beyond belief.

“I mean, it is so insulting, it’s so hard to hear.

“We’d be very interested to see what our own Prime Minister’s response is to this, because this is just disgraceful.”

Mrs Dernie added: “In 2008 General (David) Petraeus, who was head of the American forces, he actually came and met with Ben and with several of the wounded.

“He gave them all a medal, and he commented what an incredible ally the British forces were and what an amazing job they’d done, and the incredibly high price they’d had to pay.”

She said: “For Trump then to come up with this statement is just, it’s insulting.”

Asked what the Prime Minister should do in response to Mr Trump’s comments, Mrs Dernie said: “He’s got to refute what’s said.“He’s got to come out.

“He’s got to stand up for his own armed forces, and he’s got to absolutely refute what Donald Trump said.

“Call him out. Make a stand for those who fought for this country and for our flag, because it’s just beyond belief.

“Come and look at us, the life that Ben leads – 19-and-a-half years on, still fighting for his care, still fighting for him to have a decent life, recovering from a recent operation.

“To hear this man say, ‘Oh, well, you just fannied about behind the front lines’.“It’s the ultimate insult.”She said: “You never cease to be surprised by things that people can come up with and say after the event, people who weren’t there, but this is a new low.”

Mrs Dernie said Mr Parkinson, who left the Army in 2019, had further surgery in December.

She said: “He’s still recovering, but full of beans. Can’t wait to get going again.

“He can’t start walking until the end of February, but then a full programme for this year and waiting to go.”

Asked if he has plans for further fundraising, Mrs Dernie said: “Absolutely, for guess what? Others injured and suffering after the wars that we supported America with in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

She said: “The problem is, because of the brain injury, it’s very difficult for Ben to express himself.

“But all he feels is anger and he’s livid, he can’t believe that someone could say that about him and his mates and what they did.”

Mr Parkinson released a book five years ago about his life and his ongoing battles after the 2006 blast left him with both his legs amputated, a twisted spine and brain damage.

He was made an MBE in 2013 for his work with veterans and other charities.