I AM a Conservative voter but I was saddened to read Claire Perry’s self-satisfied and complacent contribution to your 29 August edition.

She is, of course, to be congratulated on her efforts to support local initiatives: independent shops in her constituency and the creative talents of young people, and she clearly has the interests of her consituents at heart.

But she applauds her party’s achievement in bringing about the amalgamation of the 1st and 2nd Royal Tank Regiments “showing the strength of the combined organisation” and “reinforcing the presence of heavy armoury (presumably she means heavy armour) on Salisbury Plain for generations to come”.

Sorry Claire, the purpose of armoured regiments is not to potter around Salisbury Plain, it is to demonstrate the national resolve to support NATO’s collective defence plans ‘for generations to come’!

One must ask oneself whether she is aware of developments in Ukraine.

She then goes on to discuss the question of whether Parliament should be recalled, reassuring us that any UK military response to the current conflict in Iraq would have to be “voted upon at Westminster” and, comfortingly, she opines that “our military resources are, quite properly, being put to use in a humanitarian effort”.

Of course we must do our best to support international efforts to provide aid to the many thousands of refugees fleeing from conflict in Iraq.

But our military resources must be directed mainly towards the need to defend the realm (this being the primary responsibility of the State) and to support our NATO allies.

The amalgamation of 1 and 2 RTR is yet another indication that this government is losing sight of those responsibilities.

Of course Parliament should have been recalled to discuss not only the threat posed by the IS but also events in Ukraine.

Though after the current round of defence cuts, God help us if we are called on to meet our NATO obligations.

Barrie Johnson, The Avenue, Andover.