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A Scottish army reservist MP slammed defence chiefs for failing to stop soldier suicides.

Ex-Royal Regiment of Scotland soldier Paul Sweeney revealed his horror at reading about his old comrades taking their own lives.

But he was one of only a handful of MPs who turned up to a debate about veterans just four days after Remembrance Sunday.

Glasgow MP Paul cited the Record’s campaign to prevent soldier suicides as he discussed a new strategy to support veterans across the UK.

The Government’s Strategy for our Veterans study will consider putting a new question in the 2021 census to gauge veterans’ needs.

Former shipyard worker Paul served for 12 years with 6 Scots.

He said: “There have been four Jocks who have taken their lives in the last two months, a terrible spate of suicides. It is estimated 50 veterans have taken their lives in the last year.

“Many did try to get support. One – Jamie Davies – recorded videos on social media. They are harrowing to watch, knowing he’d eventually take his own life. We all failed him.”

The Record has published a series of stories about the soldier suicide epidemic.

More than 50 serving or retired soldiers have ended their lives this year, more than one every six days.

Scottish Veterans minister Graeme Dey has applauded the campaign and admitted more needs to be done.

In August four Scottish regiment veterans – Ryan Smith, Jamie Davies, Alistair McLeish and Jonny Cole – took their lives in little over a week.

Paul said the strategy document lacked detail and called for every veteran to be allocated to a trained caseworker.

Berwick MP Ann-Marie Trevelyan wept as she read a letter from a wife struggling with her veteran husband’s post traumatic stress disorder.

The letter said: “I never received any support from the military. How can the Army not follow up members of the forces to see if they are okay when people have died on patrols they have led.

“How can they risk more casualties in the form of suicide? My greatest fear is this letter will be used as an exhibit in a bundle collated for a coroner. This can’t continue.”