Troops ‘should be handed timeshare opportunities’

Men and women serving in the British armed forces should be treated to free holidays and given access to unused timeshare properties.

This is the opinion of former defence secretary Liam Fox, who told Sky News presenter Dermot Murnaghan that servicemen and women might be allowed to take up second homes to boost morale and help keep service personnel happy, the Press Association reports.

Dr Fox explained providing troops with free vacations can help to show greater support for soldiers and their families, while also giving them something to look forward to when returning from action.

Working with Virgin Trains, Dr Fox has established the charity Give Us Time, which hopes to persuade people to hand over weeks of their time share properties or second homes.

He said greater efforts need to be made to assist returning troops, adding: "I think if we are able to do it without any tax-payers' money and the dead hand of government then so much the better."

Posted by Samantha Thompson