The 48-year-old MP for North Devon was his party's shadow defence secretary from 2006.

Dr Fox was the shadow defence secretary at the time.

Jim Murphy, the shadow defence secretary, said: "An island nation like ours should be able to operate aeroplanes from an aircraft carrier.

He was a shadow defence secretary and later was Chairman of the Trade and Industry Select committee.

Liam Fox, the Conservative shadow defence secretary, said: "We must be sure that decisions are not taken prematurely based on political pressure at home."

Dr Fox becomes shadow foreign secretary and then shadow defence secretary.

When Liam Fox was shadow defence secretary, this was one of his most persistent lines of attack.

Bernard Jenkin, shadow defence secretary, said: "This is a paper army desperately trying to find a mission to prove itself.

Jim Murphy, the shadow defence secretary, said the report was "damning".

Liam Fox, the shadow defence secretary, said: "The committee's report is a severe indictment of the government's handling of the situation in Afghanistan."

The 48-year-old MP for North Devon was his party's shadow defence secretary from 2006.

Dr Fox was the shadow defence secretary at the time.

Jim Murphy, the shadow defence secretary, said: "An island nation like ours should be able to operate aeroplanes from an aircraft carrier.

Of more political significance, in my view, were the words of the shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy, a Labour front-bencher who commands respect.

He was a shadow defence secretary and later was Chairman of the Trade and Industry Select committee.

Liam Fox, the Conservative shadow defence secretary, said: "We must be sure that decisions are not taken prematurely based on political pressure at home."

When Liam Fox was shadow defence secretary, this was one of his most persistent lines of attack.

Bernard Jenkin, shadow defence secretary, said: "This is a paper army desperately trying to find a mission to prove itself.

Jim Murphy, the shadow defence secretary, said the report was "damning".

Liam Fox, the shadow defence secretary, said: "The committee's report is a severe indictment of the government's handling of the situation in Afghanistan."