RAF Scampton has been ruled out as a centre for housing asylum seekers for a second time.
The government announced recently that it was looking at all military bases, before Sir Keir Starmer said the Lincolnshire base wasn’t being considered.
RAF Scampton. Image: LDRS
It follows a previous attempt by the Conservative government – which cost £48 million – that was ended by Labour just over a year ago.
Lincoln MP Hamish Falconer (Lab) said the home of the Dambusters was never intended to be an option.
“I’m delighted the PM made the commitment to make sure that Scampton ends up where it needs to be,” he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Hamish Falconer in Steep Hill in Lincoln
“There has been a bit of worry over the last week since the government said it was looking at all military sites. The intention was never to include Scampton.
“When the Defence Secretary [John Healey] said he wouldn’t rule it out, he didn’t know the details and background of every single site.”
The Save Our Scampton group said they had been preparing for a second campaign after the news broke.
Scampton Holdings is hoping to turn the site into a centre for tourism, aerospace technology and RAF history.
Mr Falconer said: “Scampton Holdings are still interested. The Home Office is going through the proper procurement process right now. We move pretty quickly as a government.”
Mayor Andrea Jenykns (Ref) told BBC Lincolnshire she was delighted at the news, and urged the Prime Minister to “break the deadlock, get this moving and allow us to develop RAF Scampton”.
Councillor Richard Davies, leader of the Conservative Group on Lincolnshire County Council, said: “This is a huge win for Lincolnshire.
“From the start, Lincolnshire Conservatives have stood firm that RAF Scampton must be protected for heritage, investment and jobs – not used as a mass asylum centre.”