Lossiemouth battlebus to Downing Street

The campaign to save RAF Lossiemouth from closure comes to Downing St today when local activists and politicians hand in a 30,000 signature petition to Downing St.

The campaigners are urging Prime Minister David Cameron to save the Moray Tornado base from closure in the wake of the shock decision to scrap the Nimrod aircraft and axe neighbouring RAF Kinloss.

While the petition is being handed in First Minister Alex Salmond is due to meet with Defence Secretary Liam Fox to discuss the defence review and the consequences for Scotland.

But the Lossiemouth campaigners are arriving late and aren't being given the direct access that their rivals have had.

Supporters of RAF Marham, the Norfolk rival base to Lossiemouth, handed in their petition to Downing St in November and then had a meeting with Fox.

Angus Robertson, SNP MP for Moray, yesterday said it was time for the MoD to end the uncertainty around the future of the RAF base in his constituency

He said: “It’s now almost three months since the Defence Secretary published the Strategic Defence and Security Review, yet we are no further forward in getting any clarity around final base closure decisions or what support and assistance the UK Government intend to provide to communities affected by closures or downsizing.”