Editing Simon Weston (section)

==Political activism==
Weston has campaigned in support of troops and veterans and against politicians' alleged failure to support them adequately.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7458224.stm|title= Tory military care plan due out|date=17 June 2008|publisher=BBC News|access-date=17 June 2008}}</ref> He has spoken out against defence budget cuts and British troops allegedly being supplied with inadequate equipment,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/4x4_reports/2481265.stm|title='Don't let faulty kit kill our troops'|date=18 November 2002|publisher=BBC News|access-date=17 June 2008|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040414140237/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/4x4_reports/2481265.stm|archive-date=14 April 2004}}</ref> and about the lack of support, health care and adequate compensation for veterans.<ref name="bottom">{{cite web|url=http://www.nqsouthern.com/digitalpublication/digitalpublications/index.cfm?dpid=78&section_id=460|title=Interview|publisher=Hampshire Society|access-date=17 June 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070814180501/http://www.nqsouthern.com/digitalpublication/digitalpublications/index.cfm?dpid=78&section_id=460|archive-date=14 August 2007}}</ref> On 12 March 2007 he appeared on [[ITV News]], giving his opinion on the care of British soldiers in hospital. On 4 March 2008, he appeared alongside [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] leader [[David Cameron]] as he announced the formation of a commission to investigate ways to help restore the "[[Armed Forces Covenant|military covenant]]", which Cameron called "well and truly broken".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7276924.stm|title=Cameron: Military covenant broken|date=4 March 2008|publisher=BBC News|access-date=17 June 2008}}</ref> It was intended that Weston would take a non-partisan, advisory role to the commission (headed by [[Frederick Forsyth]]), with his work taking a particular focus to the treatment of veterans and the compensation paid out to injured service personnel.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

It is stated that Weston is a critic of the [[Iraq War]], believing [[Tony Blair]]'s arguments for the invasion were invalid.<ref name="bottom" /> In February 2003, in the run-up to the war, he spoke out about "politicians with so many different agendas, spin and bluff and throwing smoke in the air and I have to say even lies... so often that we are not sure what we are actually listening to now".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2752163.stm|title=Blair puts 'moral' case for war|date=13 February 2003|publisher=BBC News|access-date=17 June 2008|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040712190101/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2752163.stm|archive-date=12 July 2004}}</ref>

Weston also spoke to the ethical committee at London's [[Royal Free Hospital]] in 2006 to support the case for authorising full face transplants,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5092384.stm|title=Face transplant decision expected|date=18 June 2006|publisher=BBC News|access-date=17 June 2008|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070105163020/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5092384.stm|archive-date=5 January 2007}}</ref> even though he had previously been against the idea.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/2522449.stm|title=What the papers say|date=28 November 2002|publisher=BBC News|access-date=17 June 2008}}</ref>

In 2008, Weston criticised the then French president, [[Nicolas Sarkozy]], for failing to attend a war ceremony. Weston said, "He should have got it right", "We in Wales have lost and sacrificed as much as anybody for different causes". Showing his support for the British monarchy, Weston added, "Not for a second would Charles have disrespected the event. He has always acted with a great deal of reverence for the occasion."<ref>"A snub or simply a mistake? Sarkozy 'disrespects' Wales. French president criticised for omission during war ceremony", ''The Western Mail''. 13 November 2008. p. 3.</ref>

In February 2012 Weston was caught up in an angry exchange with actor [[Sean Penn]], who said it was improper for [[Prince William]] to be deployed to the Falklands. Weston was reported as saying, "Sean Penn does not know what he is talking about and, frankly, he should shut up. His [Penn's] views are irrelevant and it only serves to fuel the fire of the Argentinians and get them more pumped up."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-17065995|title=Sean Penn's Argentina Falklands support angers Simon Weston|publisher=BBC News|date=16 February 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131225091457/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-17065995|archive-date=25 December 2013}}</ref>

In 2012, Weston decided to stand for the post of elected [[Police and Crime Commissioner]] for the [[South Wales Police]]. As part of the nomination process, he had to disclose the police caution he had received as a child and whether this caution disbarred him from standing became a matter of public debate. He withdrew from the process, citing this controversy and the perceived politicisation of the post (some sources hold that a caution for a juvenile should not be grounds for disqualification).<ref name=wdl /> During a BBC radio interview on the subject of the disclosure of cautions to juveniles, Weston pointed out that he has never sought to hide the caution.