Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

Do you agree with the recent decision?

I have received the following e-mail and thought it worthy of a wider audience.

'Recently the government decided to decommission the Ark Royal and the Harrier Jump Jet and have an aircraft carrier with no aircraft for ten years. In my opinion this is one of the most stupid and ludicrous ideas this new government has had. I am a registered Conservative member but when I heard the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer had made this ridiculous decision it made me, and I am sure millions of British people, extremely angry. How can we have our fighting forces in a front line vulnerable to attack without air cover?

This decision makes this country reliant on a very unreliable French government, who have financial and other problems of their own, to supply us with aircraft to go on our aircraft carriers. We could also end up sharing aircraft carriers with the French. What are the Prime Minister and Chancellor thinking? You cannot put our country and its dependencies such as the Falklands at risk by scrapping our essential defences.

The Falklands are particularly at risk and vulnerable to attack from Argentina if we don’t have the means to defend them. The Argentineans are not interested in the islands but the resources around them including the oil that is claimed to be there. A defeat by the Argentineans would be a humiliation this country would never live down. This problem should be settled by negotiation not by conflict but we have to negotiate from a position of strength. In my letter to the Prime Minister I pointed out that decommissioning the Harrier and having an aircraft carrier with no aeroplanes was equivalent to playing conkers with just a piece of string. You have the delivery system but nothing at the end to damage your opponent only his version of the game is far more dangerous. I also pointed out that the next thing he will want is for our forces to fight under Health and Safety Regulations. He should realise wars are not won by appeasers such as Chamberlain but by strong leaders such as Churchill and Lloyd George.

No one wants to see a single Argentinean or British serviceman or woman get hurt or die when things can be negotiated satisfactorily to both sides. However, should it come to a showdown our troops must have the air support required when and where they need it. Should we be called upon to support any another conflict we may not be able to play our part. That would also be humiliating.

Last time Britain lost 123 Army personnel, 88 Royal Navy sailors and one Royal Air Force officer. Seven ships and 34 aircraft were lost in the fierce fighting. Losses on the Argentinean side saw 649 killed. The total death toll of the short but bloody conflict was 907, with the wounded approaching 2.000. Do we want those who lost their lives on our behalf and that of the Falkland Islanders to be in vain?

I sent a copy of my letter to the Prime Minister to Admiral Lord West who kindly telephoned me to thank me for my support. He asked me to spread the word around to as many people as possible and ask for their support by signing the ‘Save the Ark Royal and Harrier Jump Jet’ petition. That is why I am writing to ask you individually to sign this official petition. Our armed forces need your support.

Councillor; we live in a dangerous world at a particularly dangerous time with resources, especially oil, becoming very scarce throughout the world with and increasing world population. Demand for resources is increasing, over the next few years shortages will become severe don’t be complacent. We must protect what resources are available to us and the only way to do that is by supporting those who defend our country the soldiers, sailors and RAF personnel who do such a wonderful job every time they are called upon to serve. Give our armed forces the best Christmas present they will ever require – carrier aircraft support!

Please support them by clicking here and signing the petition.'