After months of speculation and crippling uncertainty, campaigners fighting for the retention of RAF Leuchars have told The Courier they would spend this weekend praying for a positive outcome.
The Fife base and RAF Lossiemouth in Moray are in the firing line as the coalition government aims to make multi-billion savings to its defence budget.
It seems certain only one Scottish base will survive, and an announcement has been promised by Tuesday at the latest.
Campaigners in Fife told The Courier they were expecting a final decision to be made public on Monday. Meanwhile, House of Commons leader Sir George Young confirmed an announcement was imminent.
Sir George said defence secretary Liam Fox was “hoping” to update MPs prior to Westminster’s summer recess, due to start on Tuesday.
There have been countless false dawns, and a final announcement had been expected last week.
However, as revealed in The Courier, that was put on the back burner due to the all-consuming nature of allegations connected to the phone hacking scandal.
Among those leading the campaign to retain RAF Leuchars is Carroll Finnie. She admitted it had been an agonising time for all involved with the campaign.
She said, “We are all desperately hoping that the decision will indeed finally be taken to the Commons on Monday.
“Despite all the rumours in the last few days and weeks we are still completely in the dark. To be honest I feel as if we have just been playing a waiting game but it really has gone on long enough now.
“When the threat first emerged we were promised a quick decision but that was months ago and we still don’t know the outcome.”
Despite all the uncertainty, she remains upbeat.
“Personally speaking, I am fairly optimistic,” she said. “There is no doubt the issue has caused huge concern but I still think the government will ultimately do the right thing.”‘Push, push, push’Mrs Finnie also issued an eleventh-hour plea to fellow campaigners.
“I would still urge people to make their feelings known to Prime Minister David Cameron we must push, push, push right up until the last possible minute,” she continued.
“At the end of it all, I think we will be able to hold our heads high and say there is nothing more that we could have done. We have done everything within our power and I just hope it has been enough.”
When the RAF is ordered to pull out of Leuchars or Lossiemouth, it is expected army troops returning from Germany will set up barracks at the vacant site.
But Mrs Finnie and fellow campaigners feel Leuchars does not have the infrastructure necessary for the army and would be best suited for its RAF role.
With the final countdown under way, campaigners can only hope ministers make the right decision.
Dunfermline and West Fife MP Thomas Docherty said he was convinced a final announcement would indeed come on Monday.
“After months of agony the wait for service personnel, their families and the surrounding communities will finally be over,” he said.
However, he expressed concern that the basing review had been driven by “Treasury concerns rather than the UK’s defence needs.”