It was Armed Forces Day on Saturday, and it was gratifying to see the weather holding out for a celebration of the brave men and women who serve this country so well.

The event was held in the same place that it was held last year – on the Marina – and I think more people came this year to celebrate the event and the tremendous contribution that the Armed Forces make to public life.

A central part of my civic life as the town’s Member of Parliament is the Remembrance Day Sunday in November, where we remember all those who have given their lives for the pursuit of freedom for our country. But I would like Armed Forces Day to be as celebrated as Poppy Day. Although the event would by its nature not be as solemn, there is a real need to take time out to display our gratitude and to celebrate all those who are serving and have served in the Armed Forces Day.

I think over 350 events were held up and down the country on Armed Forces Day. The main celebration was in Cardiff, where members of the Royal Family, together with Defence Ministers and senior Armed Forces personnel attended a huge service, along with an estimated 50,000 people. Other parts of the country, for example, had garden and street parties, and I would love to see this happen in Hartlepool. I noticed the special Armed Forces Day flag flying on Stranton Fire Station opposite Camerons’ Brewery, but I hope that next year for Armed Forces Day we see as many of those special flags flying for our troops as we have seen England flags for the World Cup.

We are very much a service town, with strong links to all parts of the Armed Forces and I would like Hartlepool to be leading the North East in the celebration of services life on this special day.

I was particularly pleased to see many lads serving on HMS Example present at the service, and Lieutenant Nelson McMillan contributing to Saturday by undertaking a Bible reading. With a name like Nelson, if he was not destined to join the Navy, I don’t know who was!

Armed Forces Day should transcend all party political differences. I fully supported the new Secretary of State for Defence, Dr Liam Fox, when he said that, as a nation, we have a duty to support our Armed Forces for all that they do for us. These brave men and women do not ask for sympathy, but they ask for our support.

In a week where far, far too many young men have died for their country in Afghanistan, it is right and proper that we take some time to reflect and to celebrate the tremendous contribution that the Army, Air Force and Navy make to our country. They deserve a collective round of applause from all of us.