Mayor and MP praise Doncaster war hero Ben Parkinson after Donald Trump comments
The mayor of Doncaster and a city MP have praised war hero Ben Parkinson and condemned US President Donald Trump after his claim that allied forces avoided the front lines in Afghanistan.
Ben was left “stunned” by Trump’s comments - with his mother describing it as “the ultimate insult.”
Former paratrooper Ben, now 41, was injured when an Army Land Rover hit a mine in 2006 and is regarded as the most severely injured soldier to survive the conflict in Afghanistan.
Last week, Trump sparked fury when he downplayed the role of Nato troops in the war and doubted whether the military alliance would be there for the US "if we ever needed them.”
He later praised UK soldiers after the outcry.
In an identical statement, Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones and Doncaster Central Labour MP Sally Jameson said: “The comments from Donald J. Trump about NATO troops staying back from the front line are utterly abhorrent and he should apologise.
“I pay tribute today to local hero Ben Parkinson and all those who have made huge sacrifices for the safety and security of our nation and our allies.”
Trump's words drew condemnation from international allies, while Sir Keir Starmer called them "insulting and frankly appalling".
The US president later used his Truth Social platform to praise UK troops as being "among the greatest of all warriors".
Trump was criticised for remarks he made during an interview with Fox News on Thursday in which the president said of Nato troops: "We've never needed them. We have never really asked anything of them.
"They'll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan... and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines."
That triggered a huge backlash from the families of soldiers who served in Afghanistan, as well as veterans and politicians from across the Westminster and international spectrum who called for Trump to apologise.
Critics poined to the 457 British deaths in Afghanistan and highlighting Trump's avoidance of military service in Vietnam.
Ben’s mum Diane Dernie said: "You never cease to be surprised by things that people can come up with and say after the event, people who weren't there, but this is a new low."
"I can assure you, the Taliban didn't plant IEDs [improvised explosive devices] miles and miles back from the front line."
"Come and look at us, the life that Ben leads - 19-and-a-half years on, still fighting for his care, still fighting for him to have a decent life, recovering from a recent operation," she said.
"To hear this man say: 'Oh, well, you just fannied about behind the front lines'... it's the ultimate insult."
She told the BBC: "He and his family lost everything.
"He lost his career, he lost his chance at a normal life, but Ben was proud and happy to do it and we were proud of him."