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05
Nov
Harrogate and Knaresborough MP pledges to spend 15 days alongside military
Tom Gordon, the Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, has pledged to dedicate at least 15 days over the next 12 months to working alongside the military.
Mr Gordon has signed up to the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme, which was created in 1989 to help MPs understand military life better.
Army Foundation College Harrogate, which is the only junior entry basic training establishment in the British Army, is based in his constituency.
It is also home to many military families connected to American spy base RAF Menwith Hill.
Mr Gordon will choose whether to learn about the Royal Navy, Army or Royal Air Force. The programme began with two days at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom in Shrivenham, Oxfordshire.
He said the programme would give him the chance to gain a first-hand insight into what life is like for servicemen and women, adding:
I believe it is especially important for me to participate, as Harrogate and Knaresborough have strong ties to the military due the nearby RAF base at Menwith Hill and the Army Foundation College.
I am looking forward to applying what I learn through this scheme to my role as MP.
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