The announcement today by the Ministry of Defence to relocate the Red Arrows to RAF Waddington has come as a huge disappointment to those campaigning for RAF Wittering to be the new base for the Red Arrows.

RAF Wittering, along with RAF Leeming and RAF Waddington, had been shortlisted as a potential new home for the world famous Red Arrows. Local MP Shailesh Vara, in whose constituency of North West Cambridgeshire RAF Wittering is located, had campaigned hard to try to bring the Red Arrows to Wittering.

Mr Vara had worked with Peterborough City Council and Wittering Parish Council in putting forward the case for RAF Wittering to be the new home for the Red Arrows. This included raising the matter on the floor of the House of Commons as well as arranging a Ministerial meeting.

In his letter to Mr Vara, the Defence Minister Jeremy Quinn MP said “I know that you have made a number of personal and persuasive representations to bring the team to RAF Wittering, and I understand that this will come as disappointing news to you and your constituents.”

Following the announcement, Mr Vara said:

“The news that the Red Arrows will not be coming to RAF Wittering comes as a huge disappointment, especially after so much work has been put in trying to persuade the Ministry of Defence of the merits of RAF Wittering.

“It would have been a great honour to have the world famous Red Arrows based locally and of course there would have been a boost to the local economy too.

“I want to thank Peterborough City Council and Wittering Parish Council for working with me to try to bring the Red Arrows to our area.”

Click here to download letter from Defence Minister Jeremy Quin MP to Shailesh Vara MP, 18 May 2020