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A Labour MP’s husband has been accused of ‘stolen valour’ over claims he lied about his service within the Royal Marines as he reportedly by no means completed the coaching.
Ex-Wolverhampton mayor and former firefighter Cllr Greg Brackenridge, 53, boasted to his voters that he had a profession serving within the Marines.
Regardless of allegedly telling his coworkers that he served for a ‘variety of years’ in 45 Commando amphibious commando unit, he failed to finish the coaching.
Cllr Brackenridge – who can be the Chair of the West Midlands Hearth and Rescue Authority – has been beforehand pictured carrying a badge for veterans of the Iraq Conflict from 1990 to 1991 and a Royal Marines Corps tie.
His spouse Sureena gained the Wolverhampton North East seat for Labour in July, and her son Ciaran can be a councillor.
Sureena Brackenridge gained the Wolverhampton North East seat for Labour in July, and each her husband Greg, 53, and her son Ciaran, are councillors
Cllr Brackenridge has been beforehand pictured carrying a badge for veterans of the Iraq Conflict from 1990 to 1991 and a Royal Marines Corps tie
Cllr Brackenbridge mentioned he requested the Ministry of Defence to analyze alleged unlawful entry of his private navy document as he confronted questions concerning the legitimacy of his personal service.
The Solar reported that he left earlier than ending the 32-week coaching course in 1988, solely reaching the rank of recruit and with out incomes his Inexperienced Beret.
A supply advised the newspaper: ‘Till you cross out, you are still a recruit, you are probably not a Royal Marine.’
Cllr Brackenridge advised BirminghamLive he stood by his proper to make use of the time period ‘former Royal Marine’.
In 2021, he additionally claimed: ‘I served as a Royal Marine myself after I left faculty.
‘I labored with members of the Sikh group within the armed forces and folks from all around the globe – the Nepalese and the Gurkhas.’
The Gorkhali are troopers from Nepal who’re recruited into the British Military.
His bio on the Wolverhampton Labour Group, which has since been taken down, beforehand learn: ‘It has been my honour to serve the folks of Wednesfied over a few years as your Councillor and in my earlier skilled careers firstly with the Royal Marines and as an area firefighter with the West Midlands Service.’
His bio on the Wolverhampton Labour Group has since been taken down
He mentioned his profession within the navy was minimize quick for private causes.
He advised BirminghamLive: ‘This was devastating, as I cherished what I used to be doing, as any younger lad would. I discover it unbelievable anybody would assault individuals who be part of the navy and need to serve their nation. I’ve served as a firefighter, now retired, and councillor to proceed to serve my group.
‘What’s regarding is the obvious makes an attempt to illegally entry my service information with the MoD – a transparent breach of GDPR. That is deeply troubling.
‘I’m formally requesting the MoD investigates these issues, and I am in discussions with legal professionals concerning the subsequent steps.’
Cllr Brackenridge just lately mentioned he has been the goal of threatening messages following rumours on-line about his navy service, which he believed are meant to ‘intimidate’ him into stepping down.
Posts on Fb learn: ‘This chap talks of dignity and respect while deceptive everybody by suggesting he served as a Royal Marine. He did not.’
‘By no means received out of coaching. Disgusting stolen valour. Has been seen carrying Gulf Conflict pins and a RM tie. Not match to tie the laces. Had he any ethical fibre, he’d resign.’
Wolverhampton Council mentioned: ‘The place any allegations are made towards a councillor, they are going to be handled by way of the council’s Code of Conduct course of.’
Cllr Greg Brackenridge, and the proprietor of Wolverhampton’s Firewalker boxing membership, Kirkwood Walker, pose within the ring as they have a good time the silver medal gained by metropolis fighter Ben Whittaker
The revelation got here shortly after an authority investigation led to the Hearth Service’s interim chief government Oliver Lee being suspended, who final night time sensationally stop his function.
He walked away after a month of energy struggles and claims, saying he has resigned to ‘do what is correct’ and slammed Cllr Brackenbridge as allegedly being ‘untruthful’.
Lee was the Commanding Officer of 45 Commando Group from 2009 to 2012, the place the Cllr claimed he served.
His future was to be mentioned at a gathering of the Hearth Authority on Monday.
Cpl Lee is reportedly additionally the topic of a Part 5 authorized discover alleging he overstepped his powers on a minimum of two events, together with when suspending his finance director over the accuracy of monetary predictions.
Posting on his LinkedIn profile, he mentioned final night time: ‘I’ve spent the previous few days combating onerous for the soul of West Midlands Hearth Service, an organisation I like.
‘I’ve been threatened repeatedly, primarily to remain quiet on important topics within the public curiosity. I used to be threatened with an injunction from the Excessive Court docket at this time.
‘I cannot be gagged. Nor will I destroy my household with huge authorized payments. I’ve subsequently resigned with a view to do what is correct.
‘West Midlands Hearth Service will now sadly proceed as was after I inherited it: scared, cowed and never in a position to be itself. Viewing its leaders as egocentric.
‘The chair of the Hearth Authority, Greg Brackenridge, is untruthful. He usually referred to his service in 45 Commando. I took this at face worth, given his standing and the truth that he claimed his 45 service was 15 years earlier than mine.’
Hearth chief and adorned Afghanistan veteran Oliver Lee, who has each an MBE and OBE
The revelation got here shortly after an authority investigation led to the Hearth Service’s interim chief government Oliver Lee being suspended, who final night time sensationally stop his function
Previous to his suspension, Cpl Lee, who’s a adorned former Royal Marine Colonel, launched an unprecedented assault at these working the Hearth Authority and mentioned it was ‘missing in braveness, transparency, care and honesty’ on his LinkedIn.
Lee served 18 years within the Royal Marines, the place he attained the rank of full Colonel at simply 37, making him the youngest for the reason that Second World Conflict.
Recognised for his management in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, he was awarded each the MBE and OBE.
He resigned his fee over what he noticed because the denial of justice to former Royal Marine Alexander Blackman by the navy after he was imprisoned for killing a Taliban fighter.
Sgt Blackman launched from jail in 2017 after Every day Mail readers helped to overturn his conviction for murdering a wounded Afghan rebel.
Lee was appointed to the fireplace authority after his predecessor Wayne Brown was discovered useless in Birmingham, after it emerged he was being investigated for allegedly mendacity about having a masters diploma and having performed for Charlton Athletic when making use of for his £180,000-a-year job.
MailOnline has approached Cllr and Mrs Brackenridge for remark.