People need to get a grip. Members of the military are nothing more than paid professionals. Unless you want this country turning into some kind of pathetic mockery of the profession like the American way, give it up, Gordon. Get real and start giving the troops the money and equipment they need instead of ideological grandstanding for the media.

We don't need this, and we don't want this. Get back to policymaking, you know, undoing the mistakes you've made everywhere else instead of trying to create any kind of national spirit. Pay the boys the money instead of effectively trying to draw a target on their backs

Chris, Liverpool,

When our politicians have 'got some in' by serving in the Armed Forces, they will be entitled to have an opinion on what our servicemen and women should or should not do. Until then, they can button their lips.

Nicholas Lee, Windsor, UK

Nice afterthought Gordon. I thought it had been policy for service people not to wear uniform except on duty since the troubles in Northern Ireland.

AWilliams, Cradley,

Cambridgeshire Police say they haven't had any complaints - well I'm a resident of Cambridgeshire and I certainly won't complain if they try a bit harder to find out what's going on. Their statement is a feeble cop-out.

Where Peterborough is concerned "hush-hush" is the name of the game regarding various public order problems over the last few years. Cambs. Police whisper very very softly.

There is a significant minority of people who live in this country but who throughly dislike everything about it apart from, it would seem, the money. We can't know if it's the same minority who abuse service men and women. The authorities will "weasel word" around the point. If suspicions are allowed to grow then the blame is with those who would bend the truth to fit their own preferences.

Jack Tomlinson, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire

What kind of people who would say anything against our beautiful uniform, i love our good looking uniform, and i do
congratulate each officer for wearing it, and all our good-officers:-God be with you, where-ever youare:Ken

Cllr Ken Tiwari (Independent), Oxford, United Kingdom

Bring back conscription and, I suspect, respect for the uniform will return.

Wayne Lord, Derby,

Great, lets see the uniforms and give it a couple of home grown attacks on the forces and bingo! They can then parade through our streets with guns. We're already happy with guns at airports, what next?

Nicola, London, England

The current conflicts are unlawful, torture and genocide are in progress. Personally I think people should by now have grown out of such conduct and members of the armed services should wear civilian clothes with pride.

D Stanley, Gourge, France

I am a serving Royal Navy Officer and wear my uniform, a uniform which reflects the best in Britain, with pride, regularly, in public. I am proud to do so. Peterborough will have it's own circumstances but I have not had any problems

Bruce, Hampshire,

Much our country is now a no go area for the people that are loyal to it - and Browns words are nothing but words.

Marty, London, England

""Armed Forces should be encouraged to wear uniform, says PM ""
Some body armour - armoured vehicle fit for the purpose and decent nightsights might also help Gords !!!!

Richard Garland, Manchester,

This is ill considered by Brown, as their uniform makes them targets.

We were always encouraged NOT to wear uniforms, and indeed our civilian vehicles had their license plates changed from the Military format to the normal UK format many years ago when the enemy were the PIRA etc... whats changed that it's now acceptable to use our servicemen as Targets?

Paul, Newcastle, United Kingdom

Yeah, I'd harrass soldiers in uniform if I saw them on the street - but that's because men in army uniform are hot!!!!

On a more serious note, it is a shame that we rarely see our men and women in the armed forces in their uniform on our streets. I for one would love to shake their hand and thank them for what they do for us.

Louise, London, UK

The vast majority of the public in this country will be mighty proud of our armed forces and the job they do.
From what i have read no newspaper seems to have the bottle to come out and say exactly WHO is coming out with this garbage.
Most papers say its a cross section of people, it may be a cross section of race but not of views.
MY guess is it will be the "usual suspects" the anti war loony left brigade the Vanessa Redgrave disiples.
The socialist workers party, workers revolutionary party, cnd anti nazi league and muslims mostly of Pakistani extraction.

Gary Street, Stoke On Trent, Staffordshire

No matter whether I support a war or not, I will give my support to the armed forces. They didn't choose to be in the centre of controversy, they are doing what they are trained to do. What they are ordered to do. Anyone who can fail to see this is a disgrace. These brave men and women are putting their lives on the line for our nation.

Chloe, Nottingham,

I have the utmost respect for anyone bold enough to serve in the armed services at this time. However, I cannot see why service personnel, police officers or any public servant would want to wear their uniform whilst off duty.

I am a retired police officer. I only wore uniform when absolutely necessary. I made sure that it was concealed on the way to and from work. Broadcasting my profession could well have resulted in my house windows being put in – perhaps when I was on nights and my wife was alone with the children. This was not paranoia, just a sensible precaution. My kids were equally cautious in telling only trusted friends what I did for a living. They didn’t want to get picked upon.

The only ‘officers’ I ever saw flaunting their uniform were certain Special Constables, whose motives for ‘joining’ the police were dubious. One was convicted of stealing a police car in his attempts to increase this adrenalin rush.

Pete, Birmingham,

I am appalled that our Forces should be treated in this way. I would like to bet that those responsible would never have the guts to put their lives on the line.

My fiance is in the RAF and I am so proud of what he - and his fellow troops - do for their country especially when you remember they do so with technology and equipment that would not pass any test in today's Health and Safety obsessed society. (so perhaps Mr Brown might like to consider that also)

The RAF must not allowed to be cowed and bullied by the ignorant few. We are stronger - and so much better - than that and the majority of us are, I am sure, give them the respect they deserve.

Kelly Stewart, Oxfordshire, UK

Children of hippies, yes, this is the generational effect of the nihilism of the 60's coming home to roost, these yob's are quite programmed and indoctrinated against the many fine institutions that support and are the foundation of freedom, and without which, they would have no rights, the West is in quite a state of decline, and in the grips of a philosophical chimera known as "political correctness" which espouses tolerance and free thought
yet in practice is the diametrical opposite, it is thoughtless, emotion based hatred and intolerance of all the great national institutions of Church and State which are the moral foundation upon which we stand, and which this pernicious force is slowly chipping away at, until someday the tipping point will come, and the decline will turn into free fall, and the rule of law will give over to the rule of man, and history will repeat...is there enough spiritual backbone and substance to stem this tide???

Athan, Grosse Pointe,

I wear a school uniform and I get abused every day by pupils from other schools, and lads at my school regularly get kicked in for wearing their school blazer. Where are the police then? Why are the papers & TV reporting that? Why should we give a toss about soldiers getting shouting at? They're adults. We are kids. The English press, the English government, the English adults don't care about kids.

Richard E, Loughborough,

This Gordon Brown who has 'condemned any abuse...' is the same Gordon Brown who has starved our Armed Forces of money for the past decade. In the case of the RAF this includes Nimrod XV230 ending up as a flying time bomb resulting in 14 dead. He cares nothing for our service personnel - he's only ever cared about becoming PM and staying as PM. I'm desperate for the next election and I won't be voting Labour.

tim makepeace, leeds,

This disrespect for the 'uniform' is not new. When I was an RAF Apprentice, way back in the early sixties, we always had trouble in the local town. On one occasion, some of our lads were badly hurt so the next w.e. a bus was hired and and a contingent of personnel, dressed in uniform with boots and webbing belts sorted out every yob we could find.
Obviously, there was quite a furor over it but afterwards, we could walk down any street with pride.
When someone sneers at a person wearing the uniform of the Armed Forces, they are insulting the Country they live in.

P. Brett, Sandown, UK

The Military Covenant says. Our Armed Forces will be called upon to make personal sacrifices, including the ultimate sacrifice in the service of the Nation. In putting the needs of the nation and Armed Forces, before their own, they forgo some of the rights enjoyed by those outside the Armed Forces. In return, servicemen and women must always be able to expect fair treatment, to be valued and respected as individuals, and that they (and their families) will be sustained and rewarded by commensurate terms and conditions of service. In the same way, the unique nature of military operations means that our Armed Forces differs from all other institutions, and must be sustained and provided for accordingly by the nation. This mutual obligation forms the Military Covenant between the nation, our Armed Forces and each individual member...

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Forces-Covenant/

Councillor Alistair Thompson, Portsmouth, Britain

Absolutely ridiculous.

The armed forces should be proud of wearing their uniform. It is not their fault they took part in a war sparked by the lies and oil intrests of dubbya and the west. They are doing their duty and doing it very well by all accounts.

I myself am a sikh and wear a Turban as part of my "uniform". I get personal abuse form all kinds of people, but I wear my Turban with pride. Not only is it a symbol of my religion, it clearly defines who I am. Similarly, with the armed forces the uniform defines who they are and no-one should tell them they should not wear it in public.

Pindu, London, UK

Amazing, the local authorities cannot look after our armed forces at HOME, when we expect our armed forces to protect us from others. The powers at be want to get on the streets and catch the people doing this and treat accordingly, jail, deportation, EXILE, remember that word, we seem to have lost its use. Political coorectness has gone crazy bwhen we tell 'our' forces that we cant protect them and not wear their uniforms
what's next, allowing their children, homes and schools to be attacked??????????????????????

william clark, sheffield,

A sad reflection on our society. The soldiers should be respected and honoured. However, remember the same thing happened to the Americans during the Vietnam War. Vietnam veterans were abused as a means of the public disatisfaction with the war. Our leaders should take heed.

Hamad Lone, London, England

I agree with giving respect to those members of the Armed forces that lay down their lives but for what? They are merely the pawns in a much larger game. Blair should be declared the war criminal he is and arrested for the UK’s involvement in an illegal war (and crimes against Humanity). The United Nations have proved their impotence when faced with their biggest contributor and the US and UK ignored the rule of International Law. Where are the consequences of their actions? Where are the International Law courts? Who’s going to take them to task? Where is Lady Justice?

Mark, Bton, England

If the public are prepared to be abusive then it isn't wise to encourage the troops to walk around in uniform. You know the armed forces ARE involved in a war, in both Iraq and Afghanistan, which has had dubious and spurious beginnings. We were told lies in order to have men in either of these countries. I'm not at all surprised that people are angry about this. The idea that the Government wants to set servicemen against the public is yet another example of forcing their warped views onto the electorate. Taxpayers have a right to be angry about the waste of money keeping troops in either of these places and they have the right to say so. I think it might a better idea to stop asking servicemen to be the target of people's anger and stick to civvies. Not everyone has respect for these people for fighting a war for oil which is what they're doing. They don't have a mandate from a lot of the British people to be in Iraq or Afghanistsan. We were conned.

judy, Liverpool, England

I suggest an emergency bill through the Commons to alllow the Police/Militiary Police to arrest any person who abuses a member of our armed forces and for that person to then join a six week basic traiing camp - as those who proudly wear the uniform did! Might not deter the intelectually slower members of the public throwing abuse about, but I guarantee there will be no second-offenders!

Mark, Ipswich, UK

It seems sad that there are so few contributions to this blog. That says something, I fear, about the lack of public interest in the armed forces. It is also a reflection of the sad state into which successive governments (and that includes Margaret Thatcher and the Conservatives) have allowed the armed forces to decline by undermining their credibility through under-funding.

If this article had described some supposed or imagined 'excess' of Government, the list of blog entries would have stretched round the block.

History shows us only too clearly that a free society which does not understand the need to defend its freedoms runs the risk of disintegrating when faced with powerful external threats.

As an Englishman, I sincerely hope that the UK is not on that slippery downward slope.

Jarek, Houston, Texas, USA

Phillipe Naughton, research your story more acurately. You will find that Group Captain R L Atherton is in fact a lady.

J Phin, Manchester,

As part of their education, I would recommend all young people have a mandatory period of service with the Armed Forces. Not only would this improve personal discipline and respect for others (much needed in society presently it seems), it would also give an understanding of the Military Covenant.

If a recruit cadre over a short period can have such a positive effect, imagine what 3 - 6 months 'National Service' would do for our society? Perhaps it would also ease the recruitment crisis with some signing up for a full or part-time career.

Geoff, Lincoln, UK

Of course those who make such abusive comments would never have the guts to join the forces, in order to defend what they see as their "rights"; that's someone else's job. There was a point to not wearing uniform in the Troubles, but those times are long past. The IRA woke up and grew up; maybe it's time these children of hippies and punks did the same.

In the position of the CO of the RAF base, I would have to tell the service personnel to ignore any abuse, or return it in kind, ie point out that it's through the self-discipline and self-sacrifice of military personnel that allows them freedom to make such comments. Try it in China or most African countries - you'd never see the sky again!

The people who make such comments are just another bunch of idiots who think the rules don't apply to them. They probably drop litter everywhere, jump queues and don't have any manners at all - just the same as their parents, I bet.

Steve, London, UK

In regards to Liam Fox's comment about no go areas, there are no go areas for members of the public in the UK too.

marcus, horndon on the hill, uk