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This Is Why

British troops speak out about exposure to toxic chemicals | Redefining 'extremism' with Sam Coates

This Is Why

Sky News

News, Daily News, News Commentary

4.0552 Ratings

🗓️ 14 March 2024

⏱️ 28 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In the early months of the Iraq war in 2003, around 88 British troops were deployed to the Qarmat Ali water treatment plant to provide round-the-clock security. 

What the soldiers didn't know was that while on duty, they were being exposed to a carcinogenic chemical used to maintain the pipes in the plant.

Ten ex-soldiers have now spoken out for the first time after suffering a range of health problems, including daily nosebleeds, a brain tumour and several diagnoses of cancer.

Today on the Daily, Niall Paterson speaks to Sky's Michael Drummond about his report into why the former troops are still seeking reparations, and to ex-RAF sergeant Andy Tosh who was exposed to the chemical and says his health has been permanently damaged.

Plus, we'll get the latest from deputy political editor Sam Coates on the government's new definition of 'extremism'.

Senior producer: Annie Joyce
Producer: Sydney Pead 
Interviews producer: Melissa Tutesigensi-Charles
Promotion producer: Jada-Kai Meosa John
Editor: Wendy Parker

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Add water to your will.

0:02.0

And know that from that single drop,

0:05.0

life will grow.

0:08.0

Communities will flourish.

0:10.0

A better world will be left.

0:13.0

By leaving a gift in your will to Water Aid,

0:16.0

you'll help bring essential clean water to people who need it,

0:20.0

to change their own lives for generations

0:22.4

to come. Add Water Aid to your will. Search WaterAid legacy to find out how. At TFO, we're opening

0:31.9

up more of London for everyone with step-free access. We're continuing to improve accessibility

0:37.1

at many of our stations,

0:38.9

and now over 200 stations and counting have step-free access, including the entire Elizabeth

0:44.4

line, DLR and all tram stops. That is how we're making the greener way to travel more accessible

0:50.5

to all. Such TFL improvement plan, to the Mayor of London and TFL every journey matters.

0:57.3

Greener than total estimated petrol and diesel car emissions.

1:00.9

I'm Neil Patterson. Welcome back to the Sky News Daily. Now, following on from yesterday's

1:05.8

episode, focusing on the Diane Abbott Racism row, A little later, we will be returning to Westminster

1:12.0

to hear about the government's new definition of extremism.

1:15.9

What's happened today in the Commons, I think, is incredibly important

1:20.4

and it's going to have ramifications for years to come.

1:22.7

It's technical, it's complex, but it's not what people think.

1:26.2

But first, let's rewind to March 2003 and the beginning of the Iraq War.

...

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