The cuts at Culdrose - A flagrant disregard for heroism and tradition

In all my years as stalwart of the Packet's letters page, it is rare that I have seen such a flagrant disregard for heroism and tradition.

This week, in a stunning display of the ideologically destructive forces at the very heart of government, it was announced that the search and rescue service based at RNAS Culdrose faces the axe.

Just take a moment and cast your mind back - Think of all the stricken seafarers saved and roaming ramblers rescued by these dedicated heroes of the sky.

They risk their lives every day to help those who may otherwise die and what thanks does our government give them? Just less than two years' notice.

That's right. From 2015 helicopter search and rescue, so long the pride of the RAF and Royal Navy, will be farmed out to a private company.

And to add insult to injury it's not even a British company that will be taking over the search and rescue role, but one based in Houston, Texas.

Of course, the brave boys of Culdrose will be “redeployed” elsewhere - whatever that means - but that doesn't change the fact that yet more taxpayer's money is set to go to a private company run purely for profit.

This year marks 60 years since the creation of the first helicopter unit within the Royal Navy with a search and rescue role. It is a particularly strange form of perverse irony that inspired the coalition government to choose this year, of all years, to dump all over that proud legacy.

What next, I wonder? Are those in peril on the sea to be billed for their rescue?

No one would have voted in a government that promised to rip the guts out of our public services and sell them to private companies - yet that seems to be exactly what we have got.