Prime Minister Gordon Brown urged Britain's armed forces today to wear their uniforms in public and condemned any abuse of them by people opposed to the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Servicemen and women from RAF Wittering have been ordered not to wear uniform in public.

They were told to keep a low profile in nearby Peterborough following seven months of verbal attacks.

Speaking in Downing Street this morning, Mr Brown said: "I condemn absolutely any members of the public who show abuse or discrimination to our armed forces."

Mr Brown added: "All our armed forces should be able to, and encouraged to, wear their uniform in public and have the respect and gratitude of the British people for the huge commitment to public service they show.

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"I encourage the local police to back up our armed forces so that not only can our armed forces wear their uniforms in public, but they should have the gratitude of the British public for the work they do."

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said the decision at RAF Wittering was a local one made by station commanders and added that generally service personnel were encouraged to wear uniforms in public.

The insults have come from a "cross section" of the community and are believed to be linked to current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to air-base officials.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has held talks with Cambridgeshire police over the problem, described as "despicable" by the city's mayor Marion Todd.

RAF officers have been urged to identify the culprits and police have pledged to target problem pubs or streets where personnel have been harassed by yobs.

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