Lee Chapman 🇬🇧

🇬🇧 WEAR YOUR POPPY WITH PRIDE! 🇬🇧 That little red poppy represents something far greater than any of us. It represents courage. Sacrifice. Duty. Honour. It represents those who marched away from their families and never returned. Those who came home carrying wounds the world cannot see. And those who proudly wear the uniform today, prepared to make the same ultimate sacrifice if called upon. I'm proud to be a veteran. I'm proud to wear my poppy. And I'll never forget those who didn't make it home. Whether you served in the trenches of the Somme, the deserts of Iraq, the mountains of Afghanistan, or anywhere else our Armed Forces have been called to serve, your service and sacrifice will never be forgotten. To our fallen, we remember you. To our veterans, we thank you. To those still serving, we salute you. 🌺 Wear your poppy with pride. Not because you have to, but because you remember why. 🇬🇧 WE WILL REMEMBER THEM. 🇬🇧 #Remembrance #LestWeForget – at Birmingham, England

A LESSON IN TAXATION THAT EVERYONE SHOULD READ! Imagine 10 friends go to the pub every Friday. Their round costs £100. They agree to split the bill according to what each can afford, just like our progressive income tax system. 🍺 The poorest 4 pay nothing. 🍺 The 5th pays £1. 🍺 The 6th pays £3. 🍺 The 7th pays £7. 🍺 The 8th pays £12. 🍺 The 9th pays £18. 🍺 The richest pays £59. Total: £100. Everyone gets a pint. Now imagine the richest bloke gets fed up with constantly being told he doesn't pay enough. So he stops coming. Next Friday, the same round costs £100. But there's a problem... The remaining nine only contribute £41. Who's going to find the missing £59? Either everyone else pays more, the group buys fewer drinks, or they find someone else willing to contribute. And that's the point. The wealthiest already contribute a substantial proportion of Britain's income tax. Of course they should pay their fair share. But drive away the biggest contributors, and the money doesn't magically replace itself. Less tax revenue means less money for public services, unless the burden shifts elsewhere. You don't make everyone better off by driving away the people paying the biggest share of the bill. Sometimes the simplest lessons are learned down the pub! 🍻 – at Aldridge, England

🍞 A SIMPLE LESSON FOR SOCIALISTS... Imagine a bakery. You can argue all day about how fairly the bread should be shared. But if nobody invests in the bakery, buys the ingredients, pays the bakers or takes the financial risk of running it... There won't be any bread to share. Of course everyone deserves a fair slice. But surely we should be encouraging people to open more bakeries, employ more bakers and produce more bread? More businesses. More jobs. Better wages. More tax revenue to fund our public services. Yet some seem more interested in dividing up what's already there than encouraging people to create more. Here's the simple reality: You cannot redistribute wealth that hasn't been created. And you cannot build a prosperous country by discouraging the very people willing to invest in its future. Stop arguing over the size of the slices. Start making the pie bigger. – at Clayhanger, England

IS THIS THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR BRITISH BANTER? New employment laws mean employers can be held responsible for harassment of their staff by customers, clients and other third parties if they fail to take reasonable preventative steps. That includes pubs, restaurants and workplaces across Britain. Of course, nobody should face genuine harassment at work. But where does harmless banter end and harassment begin? Will landlords and employers now feel pressured to police conversations, jokes and opinions for fear of legal action? Protecting workers is important. But so is freedom of speech. Are we protecting people, or creating a culture where everyone is afraid to say anything?

🇬🇧🌹 45 BRITISH MILITARY DEATHS. 45 LIVES THAT MUST NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. THE FIRST GULF WAR | 1990–1991 In August 1990, Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait, triggering an international crisis. Britain joined a United Nations-authorised coalition to liberate Kuwait, deploying tens of thousands of servicemen and women in what became known as Operation GRANBY. British forces served on land, at sea and in the air, facing the dangers of modern warfare in the harsh desert environment. In January 1991, the air campaign began. The ground offensive followed in February, and Kuwait was liberated. During the campaign, 45 British military deaths were recorded, including those who died from causes other than enemy action. Among the dangers were enemy fire, aircraft losses and the tragic consequences of friendly fire. For many serving, it was their first experience of war. For families back home, it meant weeks of uncertainty, watching the news and hoping their loved ones would return safely. For 45 families, life would never be quite the same. More than three decades later, we remember those who served, those who returned carrying the memories of war, and especially those who never came home. Behind every number was a person. A son or daughter. A husband or wife. A father, mother, brother, sister or friend. Their service mattered. Their lives mattered. Their sacrifice must never be forgotten. 🇬🇧🌹 45 BRITISH MILITARY DEATHS. Different conflict. Different generation. The same duty to remember. 🇬🇧 WE WILL REMEMBER THEM. 🌹 Lest We Forget.

🇬🇧🌹 12 YEARS OF CONFLICT. 1,443 BRITISH MILITARY DEATHS. A SACRIFICE WE MUST NEVER FORGET. THE MALAYAN EMERGENCY | 1948–1960 While Britain was still recovering from the devastation of the Second World War, our servicemen were once again fighting thousands of miles from home. Deep in the jungles of Malaya, British and Commonwealth forces faced a communist-led insurgency in a conflict that would last 12 years. Dense jungle, extreme humidity, disease, dangerous patrols and the constant threat of ambush became part of everyday life. 1,443 British military deaths were recorded during the campaign, including those who died from causes other than enemy action. Many of those serving had already experienced the horrors of the Second World War. Others were young National Servicemen, far from their families and everything they knew. Some would never return. The conflict played an important role in Malaya's journey towards independence in 1957, although the Emergency continued for another three years. Yet despite the length of the campaign and the lives lost, it remains a chapter of British military history that many know little about. Behind every number was a person. Behind every uniform was a family. Behind every loss was a future that would never be lived. Whether they fell in battle, died through illness or lost their lives in accidents while serving, they all deserve our remembrance. 🇬🇧🌹 1,443 BRITISH MILITARY DEATHS. Their conflict may be forgotten by many, but their service and sacrifice must never be. 🇬🇧 WE WILL REMEMBER THEM. 🌹 Lest We Forget.

🇬🇧🌹 22,000 LIVES LOST. A WAR THAT DESERVES TO BE REMEMBERED. THE SECOND BOER WAR | 1899–1902 Long before the trenches of the First World War, British soldiers were fighting and dying thousands of miles from home in South Africa. The Second Boer War saw British and Imperial forces fighting against the Boer republics of the Transvaal and Orange Free State. What was expected to be a relatively short campaign became a brutal conflict lasting almost three years. Approximately 22,000 British and Imperial military personnel lost their lives. Perhaps most tragically, around two-thirds died not from enemy fire, but from disease and the inadequate medical conditions of the time. Thousands of young men who left their families behind, many never to return. The war also brought immense suffering to civilians, including thousands who died in British-run concentration camps. It remains a difficult chapter of our history, but remembrance should never be selective. We can acknowledge the mistakes of the past while honouring those who served and died. Behind every uniform was a son, a husband, a father, a brother or a friend. And behind every name was a family whose world changed forever. 124 years after the war ended, their sacrifice still deserves to be remembered. 🇬🇧🌹 22,000 BRITISH AND IMPERIAL MILITARY DEATHS. Different generation. Different battlefield. The same duty to remember. 🇬🇧 WE WILL REMEMBER THEM. 🌹 Lest We Forget. – at Towyn, Wales

🇬🇧 THE COST OF BRITAIN – WHEN DID £50,000 MAKE YOU WEALTHY? 🇬🇧 Britain is increasingly taxing ordinary working people as though they're wealthy! LOOK AT THE FACTS 👇 📈 Minimum wage: UP 76.5% since 2016. 📈 Cost of living: UP around 43% over the same period. 📈 40% income tax threshold: UP just 16.9%. AND IT'S GETTING WORSE! The 40% tax threshold is frozen at £50,270 until 2031. The Office for Budget Responsibility estimated that, without the threshold freezes, it would reach approximately £70,370 by 2030/31. That's a £20,100 difference in the threshold! Meanwhile, working people face: ❌ More of their pay rises and overtime taxed at 40%. ❌ Reduced eligibility for financial support as earnings increase. ❌ Rising mortgages, bills and everyday living costs. We're talking about engineers, nurses, police officers, skilled tradespeople and experienced professionals. People who have worked hard, gained qualifications, accepted responsibility and progressed in their careers. Since when did earning £50,000 make someone rich? Nobody is arguing against increasing the minimum wage. But if wages and living costs keep rising, surely tax thresholds should reflect that too? Working hard and getting ahead should be rewarded, not made increasingly less worthwhile. 🇬🇧 THE FORGOTTEN MIDDLE IS PAYING THE PRICE! – at Towyn, Wales

🇬🇧🌹 REMEMBERING BRITAIN'S FALLEN IN PALESTINE | 1945–1948 771 British military deaths. A chapter of our history that deserves to be remembered. Palestine is frequently spoken about today, but many may not realise the significant role Britain once played there, or the lives lost during that period. Following the First World War, Britain was given responsibility for administering Palestine, with the aim of supporting a Jewish national home while protecting the rights of existing communities. By 1945, tensions had escalated considerably. While Britain celebrated the end of the Second World War, British troops were still serving thousands of miles from home, attempting to maintain security and stability amid growing unrest. Our servicemen faced bombings, shootings, ambushes and kidnappings as opposition to British rule intensified. Between 1945 and 1948, 771 British military deaths were recorded during the Palestine campaign. Not all died through enemy action, but every life lost during service deserves remembrance. To put that figure into perspective, it exceeds the British military death tolls recorded in either the Falklands War or Afghanistan. Some had already survived the horrors of the Second World War, only to lose their lives while serving in Palestine. Behind every number was a person, a family and a future that would never be realised. Whatever our views on the conflicts of today, we should never forget those who served before us. 🇬🇧 771 BRITISH MILITARY DEATHS. 🌹 Their service remembered. Their sacrifice never forgotten. 🇬🇧 WE WILL REMEMBER THEM. Lest We Forget. – at Towyn, Wales

🇬🇧🌹 THEY FOUGHT FOR A FUTURE THEY WOULD NEVER LIVE TO SEE. WORLD WAR TWO | 1939–1945 Nearly 384,000 British servicemen and women lost their lives during the Second World War. They were ordinary people. Sons and daughters, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers. They left behind their homes, their families and everything they knew, not knowing whether they would ever return. Hundreds of thousands never did. Behind every life lost was a family waiting, a future stolen and a goodbye that, for many, never came. From the beaches of Normandy to the skies over Britain, from the Atlantic to the Far East, their sacrifice must never be forgotten. They never got to grow old. They never got to see the peace they helped secure. They never got to live the lives they had planned. More than 80 years later, we still owe them our remembrance. 🌹 383,700 lives. Countless families forever changed. Their war ended. Our duty to remember never will. 🇬🇧 WE WILL REMEMBER THEM. 🇬🇧 🌹 Lest We Forget. – at Towyn, Wales

🇬🇧🌹 880,000 MEN WHO NEVER GOT TO GROW OLD. 880,000 lives cut short. 880,000 families left to grieve. A generation that gave everything and asked for nothing in return. THE FIRST WORLD WAR. 1914–1918. Around 880,000 British servicemen lost their lives. They were sons, husbands, fathers, brothers and friends. Ordinary men who left their homes, kissed their loved ones goodbye and marched towards an uncertain future. So many never returned. Behind every name was a family. Behind every casualty was a life filled with hopes, dreams and plans for a tomorrow that never came. Some lie beneath the fields of Flanders. Others rest far from home, their final resting places unknown. More than a century has passed, but their sacrifice must never become just another chapter in a history book. They were real people. They were loved. They were missed. And they still deserve to be remembered. 🌹 880,000 lives. Not one forgotten. 🇬🇧 WE WILL REMEMBER THEM. 🇬🇧 Lest We Forget. 🌹 – at Rhyl, Wales

🇬🇧🌹 THE FALKLANDS 255 – FOREVER REMEMBERED. 255 British servicemen who never came home from the Falklands War in 1982. Not just a number. They were sons, husbands, fathers, brothers and mates. They sailed thousands of miles from home, leaving behind families who prayed for their safe return. For 255 families, that reunion never came. Their courage, sacrifice and the lives they never got to live must never be forgotten. Different uniforms. Different services. One shared sacrifice. 🌹 Stand easy, lads. Your duty is done. 🇬🇧 WE WILL REMEMBER THEM. 🇬🇧 – at Towyn, Wales

🇬🇧🌹 NORTHERN IRELAND – OPERATION BANNER. FOREVER REMEMBERED. 1,441 British military personnel lost their lives during Operation Banner (1969–2007). Not just numbers. They were our mates, our brothers and sisters in arms. They were sons, daughters, husbands, wives, fathers and mothers. Ordinary people who put on a uniform and answered the call. Some were killed in service. Others died in different circumstances. Every life mattered. For those who served in Northern Ireland, remembrance is personal. The memories, friendships and losses remain long after the uniform comes off. 1,441 lives. 1,441 families affected. Not one forgotten. 🌹 Stand easy, lads and lasses. We'll see you at the reorg. 🇬🇧 WE WILL REMEMBER THEM. 🇬🇧

🇬🇧🌹 THE 179 – IRAQ. FOREVER REMEMBERED. 179 British service personnel who lost their lives during the Iraq campaign. Not just a number. They were our mates, our brothers and sisters in arms. They had families waiting, dreams to fulfil and lives they should still be living. For those of us who served in Iraq, remembrance is more than a tradition. It's personal. We remember the faces, the laughter, the friendships and those who never made it home. 179 lives. 179 sacrifices. Not one forgotten. 🌹 Stand easy, lads and lasses. We'll see you at the reorg. 🇬🇧 WE WILL REMEMBER THEM. 🇬🇧

🇬🇧🌹 THE 457 – AFGHANISTAN. FOREVER REMEMBERED. ♥️ 457 British service personnel who lost their lives in Afghanistan. Not just names on a memorial. They were our mates, our brothers and sisters in arms. They had families, dreams and plans for a future they never got to live. For those of us who served in Afghanistan, remembrance isn't just about history. It's personal. We remember their faces, their laughter, their courage and the empty spaces they left behind. 457 lives. 457 sacrifices. Not one forgotten. 🌹 Stand easy, lads and lasses. We'll see you at the reorg. 🇬🇧 WE WILL REMEMBER THEM. 🇬🇧 – at Towyn, Wales

🏆🇬🇧 25 YEARS OF WAITING… AN ENGLISHMAN IS FINALLY THE BEST IN THE WORLD! 🏆 HARRY KANE HAS WON THE 2026 BALLON D'OR! 🏆👏 73 goals for club and country in one incredible season. The first Englishman to lift the award since Michael Owen in 2001! From being written off and criticised for years to being officially crowned the best footballer in the world. What an achievement for Harry Kane and what a proud moment for English football! England's captain. England's goalscorer. Now the world's best. 🏆 🇬🇧 Absolutely deserved. Congratulations, Harry! 👏👏 COME ON ENGLAND! 🏴 – at Towyn, Wales

🇬🇧 20 years ago today. A day I'll never forget. 27th October 2006. Iraq. I was in the same wagon as Lieutenant Tom Tanswell when we were involved in an accident near Basra. I still remember waking up in the back of a Danish ambulance. The panic of not being able to feel my legs, not really knowing where I was or what had happened. The first thing I was told was that Tom had been killed and that I'd been involved in an accident. I was asked if I could remember what had happened. At the time, I couldn't. Strangely, later on I could vividly remember those final few seconds before the accident. The shouts inside the wagon, the sudden movement, my head being hurled across to the other side of the wagon, and then nothing. Completely knocked out. The next thing I knew, I was in that ambulance. My helmet and body armour had been smashed, and I'd somehow ended up around 100 metres from the wagon. Then came the hospital, the uncertainty and trying to piece everything together. Word travels quickly in the Army, especially when something serious happens. Colleagues hear there's been an incident, people start worrying, and often nobody knows exactly who's been involved or who has been killed until later. I remember having to make that phone call home to my mom. Trying to explain what had happened, that I'd been injured, but that I was going to be alright. It's not a phone call any parent wants to receive. Looking back, I was incredibly lucky. I survived with a few scars and memories that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Sadly, Tom never got that chance. He was just 27 years old, with his whole life ahead of him. It's strange reflecting on something like this 20 years later. Life carries on. We get older, have families, watch our children grow up and experience all the things life has to offer. But for Tom, time stopped that day. And that's something I often think about when remembering those who never made it home. Behind every name is a life that should have continued. A family who never got to see them grow older. Friends who still remember them. Birthdays, Christmases, milestones and memories that were never to be. I was fortunate enough to come home and carry on with my life. Tom's family never got that same opportunity with him. Twenty years have passed, but I haven't forgotten that day, and I certainly haven't forgotten Tom. Today, my thoughts are with him, his family and everyone who knew and served alongside him. Lieutenant Tom Tanswell 12 Regiment Royal Artillery 27th October 2006 – Aged 27 Rest easy, Tom. See you at the Reorg, mate. 🌹 We will remember you. – at Northop Hall, Wales

🇬🇧🌺 SIX SMALL STAMPS. ONE POWERFUL MESSAGE. THEIR SACRIFICE WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. 🌺🇬🇧 Royal Mail has unveiled six stunning new stamps, and behind every design is a story of courage, sacrifice and remembrance. These aren't just stamps. They're miniature tributes to the men and women who served our country, fought for our freedom and, in so many cases, never returned home. 🇬🇧 From the trenches of the First World War to the battlefields of the Second, and the generations who have served in conflicts since, this collection carries a message that must never fade. 🌺 What makes these stamps even more special? The artwork was created by Matthew Cook, a military veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Someone who understands the meaning of service, sacrifice and remembrance firsthand. 📮 The six First Class stamps will be released on 11 November 2026, Armistice Day. A beautiful and fitting tribute from Royal Mail, ensuring that the stories of those who served continue to be remembered and passed on to future generations. ❤️ Because remembrance isn't just about looking back. It's about making sure we never forget. 🇬🇧 WE WILL REMEMBER THEM. 🇬🇧 🌺 LEST WE FORGET. 🌺 – at Streetly, England

🇬🇧 LEST WE FORGET. 🌹 They left behind families, dreams and futures they would never see. Some never came home. Others came home forever changed. Different generations. Different battles. One shared sacrifice. We live the tomorrows that so many never had. Remember them. Honour them. Never forget them. 🌹 WE WILL REMEMBER THEM. 🇬🇧 – at Essington, England

🇬🇧 VETERANS REFUSED ENTRY FOR WEARING A REMEMBRANCE POPPY?! 🇬🇧 Seriously, what is this country coming to? Reports emerging from a Wetherspoon pub in Gosport claim that customers wearing Remembrance Poppies were refused entry. The reason allegedly given by management? “Company policy” — because a poppy could be considered POLITICAL! If true, this is an absolute disgrace. The red poppy is a symbol of REMEMBRANCE, SACRIFICE AND RESPECT for those who gave their lives in service to our country. It is NOT a political statement. Wetherspoon needs to clarify exactly what happened and whether these comments were genuinely made by its management. 🇬🇧 Since when did remembering our fallen become political? WE WILL REMEMBER THEM. 🌹 – at Clayhanger, England