UK NATIONAL DEFENCE ASSOCIATION President: Winston S Churchill Patrons: Admiral Lord Boyce GCB OBE DL Rt. Hon Sir Menzies Campbell CBE QC MP Marshal of the RAF Lord Craig GCB OBE General Lord Guthrie GCB LVO OBE Rt. Hon Lord Owen CH CEO: Cdr. John L Muxworthy, RN UKNDA Ltd., PO Box 819 Portsmouth, Hants PO1 9FF Web www.uknda.org
NEWS RELEASE
Saturday 12 December 2009: Release time immediate
MINISTERS ARE “SELLING THE FAMILY SILVER”, SAYS DEFENCE ASSOCIATION
Government condemned for sacrificing vital air defence and undermining its own Defence Review
The Government is sacrificing Britain’s military capabilities and undermining the credibility of its own
Defence Review by making arbitrary short-term cuts in the Armed Forces, according to the
UK National Defence Association (UKNDA).
Responding to reports that the Government is planning to close at least one air base and make substantial
reductions to RAF manpower, UKNDA spokesman Andy Smith said: “Once again the Armed Forces are paying
the price for Governmental mismanagement. Now, to balance the books at the Ministry of Defence,
the Government proposes to sacrifice elements of our vital air defence.
“Giving up RAF bases and scaling back our military presence in strategic locations such as Cyprus is
tantamount to selling off the family silver. Once sold, these facilities will never again be available to us,
and this will inevitably impact on our long-term defence posture should the UK ever have to re-arm.
These decisions clearly demonstrate the low priority given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the security
of the United Kingdom and the importance of maintaining a properly balanced and well-resourced
defence capability.”
He added: “By making these arbitrary short-term cuts, the Government is undermining the credibility
of its own Defence Review. How can these decisions be taken now, in advance of the Review?
Britain’s Armed Forces are already seriously over-stretched and any further reductions would put the
UK is an extremely vulnerable position. We call upon the Government to hold back on making any cuts
to the defence budget until our military commitments, needs and resources have been examined thoroughly
through the Defence Review.”
The UKNDA, formed two years ago to campaign for properly-resourced Armed Forces, is backed by a number
of former service chiefs including Marshal of the Royal Air Force The Lord Craig of Radley
(a former Chief of the Defence Staff) and Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon (former Chief of the Air Staff).
Its President is Winston S. Churchill, grandson of Sir Winston Churchill.
-Ends
Media contacts:
Cdr John Muxworthy RN, Chief Executive, UKNDA, email ceo@uknda.org, tel 07721 624980.
Air Cdre Andrew Lambert RAF (Rtd), Director & RAF Advisor, UKNDA, email andrewlambert99@hotmail.com, tel 07811 262303.
Andy Smith, Public Relations Officer, UKNDA, email pro@uknda.org, tel 07737 271676.
Notes to Editors:
The United Kingdom National Defence Association (UKNDA) was formed in 2007 to campaign in support
of Britain's Armed Forces. Its President is Winston S. Churchill, former MP and war correspondent
(and grandson of Britain's wartime Prime Minister) and its Patrons are: Admiral The Lord Boyce,
Marshal of the RAF The Lord Craig, General The Lord Guthrie, The Rt Hon Sir Menzies Campbell MP and
The Rt Hon The Lord Owen. Tri-Service and politically independent, the UKNDA aims to ensure that
Britain's fighting men and women are properly trained, equipped, sustained and cared for.
For details, go to www.uknda.org
Posts
