Class E/Class D airspace debate
The CAA is not comfortable with Class E airspace on safety grounds due to the potential volume of unknown VFR be it civil or military traffic within it mixing with a known multitude of IFR or known VFR civil/military traffic. The outcome of this review could be an ACP following the CAA CAP725 process to enhance the airspace classification or the contrary, to return it to Class G as has happened in NATS ACP's before as there is an unwarranted amount of commercial flights to have Class E and actually it does little if anything for their protection.
The colleague is wholly incorrect about non access to Class D anywhere by anybody. Certainly banning it in Southampton region is totally unacceptable regardless of transponder equippage or not. Southampton has been commended in GA magazines for VFR access and ATC services provided in the last 6 months!! - perhaps investigate facts rather than trying to stir or listening to rumours would be advisable.