SUMMER BUDGET PRIORITIES
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8th Jul 2015,
Jimlad1 (your #12),
"The Chancellor committed to spending money from the Bank Tax to ensure the renovation and restoration of RAF Uxbridge's WW2 bunker, which is excellent news."
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The Telegraph launched its Forgotten Heroes appeal in 2008.
"The target of £5 million for the project was finally reached after major donations from John Caudwell, the mobile phone entrepreneur who sold his Phones4u business in 2005, and Lord Ashcroft".
"The RAF Bomber Command Association has campaigned to be exempted from an £800,000 tax bill. Although this is not possible, the Government announced a one-off capital grant of £796,000 towards the creation of the memorial on top of £204,000 already agreed, taking the total to more than £10 million".
"The heritage minister, John Penrose, said: “The sacrifice made by everyone who served, and the many who lost their lives, with Bomber Command during the war humbles us all".
“Their courage and heroism helped win the war, so it is absolutely right that this should be marked with a permanent memorial".
“These government grants will settle the tax bill that the campaigners will have to pay, so the public’s donations will all go to fund the memorial, rather than to the tax man.”
"Jim Dooley, the chairman of the memorial fund-raising committee, said: 'This is fantastic news'. Everyone involved will be delighted that David Cameron has agreed that the Government should foot the tax bill.”
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16 Jul 2010 (Cameron):
“I’m delighted there will now be a permanent memorial to these heroes and that the Government grant will help to cover the tax bill"
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(By Tim Ross, Political Correspondent, in Stockholm 09 Feb 2012):
"A Telegraph appeal raised more than £10 million from readers towards the estimated £60 million cost of the monument but campaigners behind the project faced a tax bill of almost £800,000".
"The Prime Minister announced that the Government would provide a grant to cover the bill and the memorial is now expected to open in Green Park, near Buckingham Palace, in June".
"The RAF Bomber Command Association has been campaigning for a permanent memorial to the 55,573 crew who lost their lives during the war".
"Although the project has attracted controversy, Germany has agreed to donate a yew tree to be planted in the garden of remembrance next to the memorial".
"Mr Cameron said: “The 55,573 bomber crewmen killed in World War Two made the ultimate sacrifice in the defence of our country".
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"Daily Telegraph", Wednesday 08 July 2015:
"Lifeline for Bomber Command memorial".
"David Cameron has stepped in to help pay for a permanent memorial to the 55,000 members of RAF Bomber Command who died in the Second World War".
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Q: How many casualties were there in the war at the RAF Uxbridge's Bunker ?
Danny42C.