Former war correspondent visits varsity
martin Bell voices anger over MP’s expenses and gives views on Afghanistan
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THE horrors of conflict and predicaments faced by journalists were discussed by former BBC war correspondent Martin Bell at a lecture in Aberdeen yesterday.
Mr Bell, who talked to politics students at Aber-deen University, also voiced his anger over the MPs’ expenses scandal and expressed his views on the withdrawal of British troops from Afghanistan.
He criticised politicians who make decisions on military issues despite having no experience of the armed forces. After his presentation in front of about 30 students at a committee room in the university, Mr Bell, 71, said: “We don’t have any minister with military experience and haven’t had since 1997.
“Despite this there has been remarkable progress in Afghanistan, particularly in the education of women and girls across the country.
“I’m not joining the troops-out clamour because I’m aware of the progress that has been made, but the sacrifices have been huge and continue to be.”
Mr Bell, who joined the BBC in 1962 and went on to report from 80 countries and cover 11 conflicts, called the recent scandal with MPs’ expenses an “outrageous betrayal of trust”.
“It is a widespread endemic and it must be rooted out,” he added.
He said his latest book, A Very British Revolution: The Expenses Scandal and How to Save Our Democracy, “wrote itself” in 10 weeks because of the high level of public outrage.
On Sunday, Mr Bell addressed the congregation at King’s College Chapel in Aberdeen for its Remembrance service.
The Rev Easter Smart, chaplain to the university, said: “He is an authentic voice and in his many years as a BBC war correspondent has seen the devastating effects of conflict first hand.”
Mr Bell, who has written five books, left the BBC in 1997 to become independent MP for Tatton, a post he held until 2001.
That same year he was appointed Unicef ambassador for humanitarian emergencies.
