Robin said: "Every day young men and women are putting their lives on the line, fighting in terrible conditions in Afghanistan. What is their reward from this Labour Government? Shockingly poor pay that leaves them on the poverty line and their families back at home hungry. The Liberal Democrats will put a stop to this straight away. We will raise the pay of the lowest paid troops by an extra £6,000 a year. The average basic pay across the ranks of private and lance corporal would rise to around £25,000. We need to stop short-changing our troops."