Ministers 'out of touch with military'

Major-General Andrew Mac-kay, who quit last year in an apparent row over Government strategy, criticised the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for a lack of adaptability.

He also spoke out against the equipment provided during his time in theatre and expressed concerns over whether the "right choices" would be made in future. Maj-Gen Mackay resigned from the post of General Officer Commanding Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England last year over what the MoD said was a "personal matter". But several military sources claimed the senior officer, who commanded the Helmand Task Force from October 2007 until April 2008 and was commended for recapturing the strategic town of Musa Qaleh from the Taliban, quit because of growing unhappiness over the treatment of the Forces.

He said yesterday that whoever wins the general election should rethink the structure and relationship between government and the armed forces.

He said: "We have to remind ourselves that any policy that is generated out of Whitehall or the beltway in Washington...in the end requires a soldier to leave an operating base in an armoured vehicle and... talk to the indigenous population or the government of that country.

"And sometimes I think that policy loses sight of that hard requirement at the other end." He said that while there was cross-governmental co-operation between departments and institutions, it had significant shortcomings.

"There increasingly seems to be competitive tension, whereas what's required is creative tension where you are working more collaboratively," he said.

"And you have to recognise that organisational structures and change has to occur if you are going to deal with these problems in an effective manner."

Maj-Gen Mackay, who has co-authored a paper describing the MoD as "institutionally incapable", said it had struggled to adapt to the realities of fighting an insurgency.

"Part of the problem everyone has when you are looking at this level of conflict is, can organisations adapt and transform themselves in a reasonably adept and agile manner to deal with the conflict you face, rather than the conflict you thought you were going to face or the conflict you would wish to face," he said.

The general, who was awarded the CBE for his front-line service in Helmand and led Prince Harry during his deployment, also spoke out about equipment during his time in charge.

While there had been a "dramatic improvement" over the past 18 months, Maj-Gen Mackay said it was "fair" to say it had not got better fast enough.

In a secret memo published in the book Operation Snakebite, Maj-Gen Mackay said there was a "grave crisis" over equipment.

He added yesterday: "Equipment has always been an issue for all commanders, be it Afghanistan or Iraq.

"And if we go back to the ability of governmental institutions to adapt, it's again that ability to adapt quickly and adroitly enough to provide you with the kind equipment that you want in the right time and the right place on the right day."