After a week of heated debate and criticism, the Ministry of Defence has hinted that Liam Fox may at last be prepared to visit RAF Leuchars.
There were tearful scenes last Monday as the defence secretary wielded the axe, ending the RAF’s 100-year association with Fife in favour of retaining RAF Lossiemouth in Moray.
That upset soon turned to anger as, just hours after making the decision, the defence secretary jetted to Lossiemouth to meet jubilant campaigners. Many insist he should have instead made a trip to Leuchars his top priority.
Those fighting for the retention of the base desperately want Dr Fox to face the music in Fife, and have urged him to explain the rationale for his “baffling” decision during face-to-face talks with service personnel, their families and community activists.
When asked by The Courier if such a trip was on the secretary of state’s agenda, a spokeswoman at the Ministry of Defence said, “In recent months defence ministers have visited Scottish bases on many occasions. They will continue to do so.”
While ministerial movements are generally kept quiet for security reasons, The Courier understands Dr Fox may well have indicated a willingness to visit Fife.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence spokeswoman was keen to stress the future of a military base at Leuchars had been “safeguarded” thanks to the defence secretary’s commitment to replace the departing RAF personnel with troops.
“Scotland will see an increase in military posts of around 2500,” she said. “Leuchars has been safeguarded following the decision to base army units there.”
The spokeswoman further pointed out that the minister for international security strategy, Gerald Howarth, had visited Leuchars on the day of Dr Fox’s announcement.
However, a trip to Fife by the defence secretary himself cannot come soon enough for campaigners, including Leuchars community council chairwoman Carroll Finnie.
In the immediate aftermath of the announcement she branded Dr Fox a “coward” for failing to come to Fife, and has now reiterated her desire to meet the secretary of state face-to-face.
“I just feel that Dr Fox has lived up to his name he has been quite wily and it appears as if he has been trying to avoid a meeting with us,” she said. “Rather than sending minions, we want him to come here and explain himself.”
As revealed in Tuesday’s Courier, Dr Fox has suggested the Leuchars closure made “strategic sense” which left campaigners like Mrs Finnie furious.
“It is preposterous,” she said. “Umpteen members of the RAF top brass have said time and time again that Leuchars is in the right place to provide the QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) service.
“It was widely accepted the strategic case to retain the base was unanswerable.”