Having read the article on Telegraph online:
Chopped up for scrap, Britain's £4 billion fleet of Nimrods
and its 'teaser' paragraph
The Government has been accused of “gross vandalism” after industrial cutters have been moved onto an airfield to begin chopping up nearly £4 billion worth of the world’s most advanced reconnaissance aircraft. I had a déjà vu moment; as didn't the Labour Government follow exactly the same procedure when TSR2 was cancelled 'back in the day'.
Basically do it quickly, do it quietly, destroy everything, and avoid embarrassing the Politicians. Of course it gets out, the Politicians are embarrassed, but the deed is done!
Sadly the Canadians did the same thing with the Avro Canada Arrow.
It is said a country gets the Politicians it deserves, we must have done something really bad.