The Tories on Eric Joyce - in 1998

Thanks to Fitaloon at MicroShaft for pointing us to this BBC News report from December 1998. It makes amusing reading now:

A suspended major who is still on the army payroll is being protected by government ministers for party political reasons, say the Tories.

Major Eric Joyce was suspended 18 months ago for a series of articles and interviews in which he accused the army of snobbery and public school bias. No further disciplinary action has yet been taken.

He is now on a shortlist of approved Labour candidates for the Scottish Parliament to be established in 1999.

Shadow Defence Secretary John Maples has written to Defence Secretary George Robertson asking about the officer's links to Labour and suggesting that ministers are "protecting" him.

He also wants to know why it has taken so long for the Army to bring action against Major Joyce, who the Tories say is guilty of "gross insubordination".