The 65th and last ever Leuchars Airshow took to the skies yesterday as the Government was accused of making “cack-handed” defence cuts.
With the attraction looking set to move to RAF Lossiemouth, north east Fife MSP Roderick Campbell said the Coalition had broken its promise to keep the airshow at Leuchars for the next three years.
“It is disappointing that the airshow’s history is ending more prematurely than expected. While the end was always nigh, the guarantee from the Scottish Office, and the RAF, in 2011 that the airshow would remain at Leuchars for the next three years has clearly not come to pass,” he said.
“We shouldn’t be surprised by the cack-handedness of the UK Government in relation to this decision, however. From staff cuts, to how many army personnel will move in, and when, this is simply yet another broken coalition promise.”
Defence minister Andrew Murrison announced in the last few days that Leuchars would no longer host the airshow and the option of RAF Lossiemouth holding a similar event in the future was said to be under consideration.
However, there will be no airshow at all next year because personnel will be in the process of transferring to the Moray base.
The SNP’s Westminster defence spokesperson, MP Angus Robertson added: “It is incredibly sad that this will be the last at Leuchars, and it has not been confirmed if the airshow will take place elsewhere, and if it will stay in Scotland.
“The fact this is the last airshow to take place in Leuchars is another reminder of the UK Government cuts our armed forces have faced. The UK Government had the opportunity to reverse more than a decade of decline in Scotland’s military footprint but instead made further massive and disproportionate cuts to the RAF and Royal Marines, as well as the closure of military facilities.”
Yesterday’s Airshow drew crowds from across the country as aviation fanatics made the most of the final display.
Highlights included the Red Arrows and the Typhoon Display Team.
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