“I just believe that millions of people have given their lives in the service of our country so that we have the freedom to make these kinds of political choices.” Mr Heappey urged people to stop to remember Britain’s fallen at ceremonies at war memorials at 11am on Friday on Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday. “In the next two minutes, some people will be able to picture friends, colleagues, family members they’ve lost because of military service. And of course you think of them,” he said. “But even if that’s not the case for you, you have to stop and think on Sunday, when we do this as a nation, that right now there are people in grave danger on behalf of our country. “Just be thankful that brave men and women are willing to do despicable, dangerous things on our behalf so we can sleep well, to give us the freedom to choose whether to wear a poppy or not.”
Heappey supports Boris Johnson’s international role
Mr Heappey said during the commemorations he often thought about his service in Afghanistan with the rifles. “The Bugle Major of 2 Rifles was just the most incredible musician,” he said. “And he would blast ‘Last Post’ in this most haunting way. And you could almost hear it coming out of the Helmand Valley and bouncing off the hills.” On the war in Ukraine, Mr Heappey said he supported Mr Johnson’s international role in helping to rebuild the country’s infrastructure. He said: “I can imagine that President Zelensky will want Boris to be a global advocate for Ukraine. [President] Zelensky and Boris are really very close. This is to the benefit of the UK. “It would be good for the UK for Boris to be that kind of global envoy, encouraging states not just to do the lethal aid, but to do the rebuilding as well.” Listen to Chopper’s Politics, the Telegraph’s weekly political podcast, using the audio player at the top of this article or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast app.
