Labour MP: Army Shooting Range Scandal Could Lead To Another Jo Cox
4 April 2019, 10:21
A Labour MP who used to be in the Army has told LBC that the video of soldiers shooting at a picture of Jeremy Corbyn could inspire the assassination of another MP.
Paul Sweeney, who served in the British Army until as recently as last year, labelled the video as "shocking" and warned that it could lead to another Jo Cox.
The video, first posted on Snapchat and shared across social media, shows the soldiers in Kabul aiming at the Labour leader at a shooting range.
Speaking to Nick Ferrari, Mr Sweeney said: "My first impression on seeing the clip was one of great horror."
Nick responded: "Horror? Dear God, when you see a tsunami or an earthquake and children are trapped, what do you think then?"
Mr Sweeney insisted: "It was more ignorance than malice, but it's the context of it.
"We hold the British Army to the highest standards of professionalism for a good reason. When that gets into the public domain in a widespread way, it tarnishes the reputation of the British Army.
"It also risks spreading a narrative that that sort of behaviour can be acceptable and it can be impressionable on people who can be exposed to violent conduct.
"That is very worrying in the context of coming up to the third anniversary of the assassination of Jo Cox by a right-wing fascist who was an enthusiast of military propaganda and paraphernalia."
Watch the interview at the top of the page.
