Julian Brazier

A friends son came back from his TA drill night the other day:

'You know what Dad' - he said - 'did you know that in the last six months more Brits have joined the Islamic ISIS than have been recruited by the TA.'

Well I think that is a really interesting statistic and one which -if true - is going to cause the new Minister for the Reserve Forces -Julian Brazier quite a headache.

The appointment of Julian to this important post is surprising as he does not wear a skirt and actually knows an enormous amount about the job he has been given. Here I must put my hand up and admit that many moons ago Julian and I played soldiers together n and his knowledge and enthusiasm for the Reserve army is enormous.

My first memory of Julian is of him getting out of his sleeping bag on some cold damp Welsh hillside and we all -in amazement- stared at him - as he was dressed in silk pyjamas. He soon learnt though.