Convener 'disappointed' at PM's lack of response

01 November 2010

Moray Council convener Councillor George McIntyre today said he was disappointed and deeply frustrated at a lack of response to - or acknowledgement of - a letter sent to the Prime Minister over the future of RAF Lossiemouth.

Councillor McIntyre wrote to David Cameron on October 21 after Scottish Secretary Michael Moore was unable to give the Moray Task Force - set up to fight the threatened closure - any assurances about the base, which is home to four Tornado squadrons.

The air station supports more than 3300 jobs and is worth more than £90million a year to the local economy.

In his letter, Councillor McIntyre asked the Prime Minister to honour his commitment, given to the House of Commons, to listen to the views of local communities affected by bases facing closure as a result of the strategic defence and security review.

Mr Cameron was invited to meet members of the task force and community representatives to hear their concerns.

"It is bitterly disappointing that I have not so far had an acknowledgement let alone a response to my request for the Prime Minister to visited Moray," said Councillor McIntyre.

"We are given to believe that an announcement on Lossiemouth's future could be made within a matter of weeks and time is therefore of the essence.

"For Moray, the future of the base is perhaps the biggest single issue in generations and the sense of anxiety is palpable. The whole area is in a sort of limbo, yet we still await a response from the Prime Minister.

"Given the massive impact that the closure of the base would have, we don't think it is unreasonable to ask him to come to Moray and see and hear for himself just how concerned people are."