Government must consider grounding Nimrod fleet

Commenting on today’s call by a coroner for the entire RAF Nimrod fleet to be grounded, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey said:

This is an unprecedented call which will shake the MoD to its foundations. Unless it can show there will be grave operational consequences for our forces on the ground, the Government must make plans to ground the Nimrod fleet.

 Our armed forces are doing an incredible and difficult job in taking on the Taliban. It is scandalous that they also have to worry about the threat to their lives posed by the neglect of their own Government.

 The coroner’s verdict exposes the Government’s disgraceful attitude towards the armed services, which is at best irresponsible and at worst callous.

 There must now be an independent inquiry into who in the MoD knew that these aircraft were not airworthy, and if so, why they were allowed to continue to fly.

 Given recent judgements, the Government may have a case to answer that its negligence has breached the human rights of our service personnel.”