Foreign Secretary David Miliband MP has held a public meeting in Taunton to discuss Britain’s role in Afghanistan. He was welcomed to the event at Taunton Rugby Club by local MP Jeremy Browne. An audience of over a hundred Taunton Deane residents asked the Foreign Secretary a wide range of questions during the hour-long discussion.

Jeremy Browne said:

“I was pleased that the Foreign Secretary agreed to hold a public meeting in Taunton on the crucial subject of Afghanistan. All political opinions were represented in the audience and it was an ideal opportunity for Taunton Deane residents to question one of the most important members of the Government.

“Britain remains at threat from extremism and I believe we should be willing to intervene to try and prevent fundamentalists from exporting terrorism around the World. At the same time there must be a willingness to examine what progress is being made and the Government should constantly have to justify the actions it is taking in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

“There is a special link between the fighting in Afghanistan and the residents of Taunton Deane. Soldiers from our community have been killed or seriously wounded and the Royal Marines from Norton Manor will soon be deploying to Afghanistan. They go with our gratitude and admiration for their willingness to risk their lives serving our country.”