SHE’S in the army now...a Hampshire MP has graduated from an armed forces scheme after a demanding training schedule.

Fareham MP Suella Fernandes has graduated from the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme (AFPS).

The AFPS aims to help parliamentarians to understand the work of the armed forces and foster genuine personally informed contributions to participate in defence debates.

Suella experienced life in the Armed Forces during the scheme and completed 22 days service, the length required to be able to graduate.

As part of her service, she visited the British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) in Calgary, Canada where a wide range of serving troops as they underwent combat training, and met with soldiers from all ranks of the British Army.

She was also put through her paces in visited 1 Assault Group Royal Marines and 45 Commando, known as some of the most elite commando forces in the world, on their cold-weather training in the Arctic Circle.

Suella also spent three days at The Defence Academy, Shrivenham where she got her hands on the Army’s latest weaponry and took part in live firing using the SA80 assault rifle and the L129A1 sharpshooter rifle, among other weapons.

Commenting after her graduation, Suella said: “The AFPS has been an absolutely invaluable experience.

“It allowed me and the other members to gain crucial first-hand experience of life in the armed forces and has really opened my eyes to the incredible work of our servicemen and women.

“We are lucky to have the best armed forces anywhere in the world, but it is only possible through the great commitment and personal sacrifice of individual men and women.”