Cameron plans troops leave change

Mr Cameron is making his third trip to Afghanistan as Tory leader

David Cameron has proposed changes to boost the amount of family leave British troops fighting overseas have.

The Conservative leader, visiting Afghanistan, said rest periods should start when troops arrive home - and not include days spent travelling.

Speaking in Helmand province, he said: "I think this is fair for our troops."

During his third visit to the country as Tory leader, Mr Cameron also said Afghanistan had seen "progress" and was the number one foreign policy priority.

'Lost leave'

He said there were still concerns, such as a shortage of helicopters and the unwillingness of some Nato countries to play their full part.

The issue of "lost leave" was raised by the Conservative Party's commission into the "military covenant", chaired by author Frederick Forsyth, earlier this year.

Mr Cameron, accompanied by shadow foreign secretary William Hague, has now accepted its recommendation.

He said: "Today when our servicemen and women end their duties in the heat and dust of Afghanistan or Iraq, their leave starts not when they arrive home but often after several days delay in trying to get home.

"Under our plans, the leave clock would not start ticking until they arrive back on British soil. This is a common sense idea that will make a big difference to the lives of our brave troops and their families."

Visiting the British base at Sangin, which houses the biggest battle group of around 1,300 troops, Mr Cameron said: "You've got the support of everyone back home. I think if we weren't here the Taleban would come back and the terrorist training camps would start again."

Mr Cameron insisted the campaign was in Britain's "direct interest", adding that there was clearly a "huge task" for UK and Nato forces in Afghanistan.

But he added: "There's also a lot that we (politicians) have got to do."

He insisted troops needed more "recognition" and to be properly supplied with equipment.