Tell us our beloved Red Arrows are safe, demands MP Edward Leigh
A Gainsborough MP is demanding the Government clarifies the future of the Red Arrows after fears they could be axed.
Conservative Edward Leigh is seeking answers from ministers amid speculation the elite aerobatic unit could be disbanded in a new wave of defence cuts.
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Downing Street quickly denied claims by the Daily Mirror about claims that the Red Arrows were to be axed
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Edward Leigh is seeking answers from ministers amid speculation the elite aerobatic unit could be disbanded in a new wave of defence cuts.
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The Red Arrows are based at RAF Scampton, north of Lincoln
Downing Street quickly denied claims by the Daily Mirror about the RAF Scampton based team insisting they "are not true".
Mr Leigh has now tabled an urgent written question in the House of Commons about the iconic air display team which is believed to cost £9 million a year to run.
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He said: "I have demanded answers on the future of the Red Arrows.
"It would be a real insult to these pilots and ground crew who fly the flag for Britain at home and abroad to close their world-beating team. When they bring so much delight to millions and promote our interests abroad, it seems perverse to even consider.
"It would be particularly poignant to close their unit so soon after Flight Lieutenants Jon Egging and Sean Cunningham demonstrated the grave risks our pilots face on a daily basis. They gave their lives while doing what they loved and serving the nation."
The Daily Mirror reported claims the Red Arrows faced the axe were from sources who were with the Prime Minister in Liberia.
Councillor Roger Patterson, who represents the Scampton ward for West Lindsey District Council, said the loss would be "devastating".
But he added it was likely the Government has included the Arrows in their review of areas which could be cut.
"People across the world know about Lincolnshire and Scampton because of them," he said. "They bring pleasure to a lot of people and they are a symbol of Lincolnshire.
"I think it's one area the Government should keep its hands off.
"If they get rid of the Red Arrows there is no way back – they would disappear for the good because the costs would be astronomical."
Mr Patterson says the revenue the Red Arrows generate outweighs their cost.
"In the whole defence budget, it's a drop in the ocean," he said.
Jon Bloom, who was a Red Arrows engineer between 1990 and 1998, said he thought the team was not at risk.
"There's not a chance they will get rid of them because they help to promote the nation and its good public relations for the RAF," he said.
"They are an ambassador for Great Britain and our county.
"Some people think they are a waste of money, but a lot of others would think they would be a big loss. The issue comes up every two or three years when the Government is looking at cuts and there are always rumours."
Mr Leigh, who has also led calls for Arrows to remain at Scampton, submitted his question on February 4. He was told he would receive a response by Thursday, February 7.
Losing the Red Arrows would be huge blow to the county's economy. Tourism bosses say the team, who were formed in 1964, are worth £1.5 million to the county.
5 Comments
by Bolshie
Thursday, February 07 2013, 5:25PM
“TB78WHINE - I think you'll find that UK military defence spending (planned) for FY 2012 was £33.9 Bn, the gap between that and your figure being the cost of foreign aid etc that is attributed to defence but is not a direct cost of maintaining UK Forces. Semantics that do little to change your (quite correct) mathematical point about Mr Patterson's statement. My point is that disassociated from the overall spend £9M is significant and when we are cutting core defence services it is natural we look first at non-core activities. I maintain that Mr Patterson saying that the RAF spending £9M to bring £1.5M into the private sector in Lincolnshire is a pretty short sighted thing to do.”
by eatmygoal
Thursday, February 07 2013, 5:21PM
“Bolshie, the recent reversal of a decision to close Brough BAE and keep it open is because they will be building Hawk jets. This is after a £1.9Bn purchase from Saudi Arabia. There are other reasons for the purchase that have been documented but also seeing them in action will have helped. Britiain makes a sizeable amount in the arms trade and having one of the best teams in the world displaying part of that can't be under estimated anymore than its effect can be directly measured and accounted. It might not be everyone's cup of tea as a way to make money, but making a financial argument about the Red Arrows needs the effect factored in”
by TB78WHlNE
Thursday, February 07 2013, 10:00AM
“"Mr Patterson's assertion that £9M is a drop in the ocean compared to the overall cost of Defence is pitiful - it's not"
Er, yes it is. The total defence budget for the 2012 fiscal year was £45.9bn. £9m is approx. 0.02% of that.
http://tinyurl.com/bjx8qrg”
by Pete67
Thursday, February 07 2013, 8:29AM
“It would seem that Edward Leigh also queries the MOD on the Red Arrows future, so my mentioning my source on the article Saturday, February 02, 2013 seems to possibly hold water after all.”
by Bolshie
Thursday, February 07 2013, 8:23AM
“I'm actually a fan of the Red Arrows but doubt Mr Leigh's motives here and feel he may just be marking a place on the side of of public opinion in his constituency, knowing it is an emotive issue. He knows that the decision of whether or not they disband is one for the MOD and not Central Government so ultimately he will do little more than publish the answer to his question because if they are cut it will be as a direct result of the core Government strategy to reduce public spending.
His argument, and that of Mr Patterson, for keeping them is seriously flawed. They point out that the Arrows 'fly the flag, promote Britain's interests, bring £1.9M to the county at a cost to MOD of £9M.....'. But, what they don't mention is any contribution to Defence of the UK, which is the core business of the MOD and where they must prioritise spending. Mr Patterson's assertion that £9M is a drop in the ocean compared to the overall cost of Defence is pitiful - it's not, it's a substantial sum that would pay the salary of 360 private soldiers for that same year.
Given they are part of the RAF recruiting effort and the personnel could be used on operations in other aircraft perhaps a funding arrangement based on part MOD/part private funding would be more prudent in these current hard times. How would Mr Patterson or Lincolnshire Tourist Board feel if they were asked to stump up (say) 6 of the 9 million from their annual budget?”