Grew up near there, but only make it back a couple of times a year- all v. hard to keep up with the inside scoop. The last of my service mates left the RAFSU about 18 months ago but an ex-DARA
PR bod is a mate of mine from school days and he decided to Foxtrot Oscar a couple of weeks before they had to announce that the Tornado work was going to Marham. When the spin-meisters are jumping ship, you know that the writing's on the wall.
Having said all that, and I accept your point fully, the old SEngO club that got the ball rolling helped to set the standards and the precedents for everything that followed.
All v. sad. In April my hometown will be over-run by 1PARA.
Edited to add that the Vale of Glamorgan is a very marginal seat. It's currently held by John Smith (Lab)- an ex SNCO of all things and a complete oxygen thief who is as much use as tits on a fish.