Tories attack ‘crass’ PM for revealing number of SAS troops

Gordon Brown came under fire from the Tories today after military figures accused him of "crass" politicking over the role of Britain's special forces in Afghanistan.

The Prime Minister surprised MPs yesterday by saying that 500 elite troops — largely from the SAS, Special Boat Service and Special Forces Support Group — were in action. Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox said today that a Tory government would restore the convention of not speaking about special forces. "We have never commented in public on our special forces and we have no intention of doing so," he said.

Tory MP Patrick Mercer, a former Army officer who drafted an anti-terror report for Mr Brown, said: "The Prime Minister's announcement was a needless interference in the work of our special forces."

General Sir David Richards, the new head of the Army, believes support for the war would grow if the public knew more of the successes of the SAS and SBS. Mr Brown said the role "our highly professional, widely respected and extraordinarily brave special forces" were playing should be highlighted.

A No 10 spokesman said: "The Director of Special Forces was consulted and was content with the PM's announcement, as were all relevant people within the MoD."

However, special forces chiefs today expressed their concerns about Mr Brown's announcement. SAS commanders said it was a "crass decision" taken for "political expediency" to allow Mr Brown to say the total British force was 10,000 troops. A source in the special forces directorate told the Daily Telegraph: "It is the kind of crass thing No 10 gets up to these days."

Col Tim Collins, former SAS commander, said: "This government is using special forces as a convenience to claw back its failing popularity."