Greenwich Conservatives have marked Armed Forces Day 2020 by launching a renewed campaign to keep the Army in Woolwich by lobbying the Ministry of Defence to reverse their decision to close Woolwich Barracks.
A new petition has been started by Councillor John Hills, Greenwich Conservatives' Spokesperson for Armed Forces and Veterans, urging Defence chiefs to think again on the plan for closure, which was first announced in November 2016, and is due to take effect by 2028.
Councillors united at that time to condemn the decision, and passed a unanimous motion opposing it. Since then, local people, the Council and the local MP have continued to lobby for a reprieve, but there has been no sign yet of this happening.
Councillor John Hills, himself an Army veteran, said today:
“Woolwich is a military town, and we have a proud history with the Army locally, going back hundreds of years. The decision to close the Barracks is simply wrong, and it needs to be reversed as soon as possible. I hope as many people as possible will sign this petition and let the government know the strength of feeling locally before it’s too late.”
The Leader of Greenwich Conservatives, Councillor Nigel Fletcher, added:
"Each year on Armed Forces Day we show our appreciation for all the Armed Forces do to serve our country. But here in Royal Greenwich that is a very personal thing - the military are part of our local community, and have been for centuries. The Council united in 2016 to condemn the decision to close the Barracks, and time is running out to get the decision reversed. We are proud of our links to the Army, and we want them to stay. I urge everyone locally to sign the petition Councillor Hills has started, and to join the campaign to Keep Woolwich Barracks Open."
Sign the petition at: https://www.change.org/SaveWoolwichBarracks
