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Five British defence ministers at the Farnborough Airshow on Tuesday.
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Defence Secretary: airshow 'best in the world'

By Jack Sommers
July 22, 2010

FARNBOROUGH International Airshow is ‘one of the best airshows in the world’, Defence Minister Liam Fox said during his visit earlier this week.

Speaking on Tuesday, the second day of this year’s show, Dr Fox told representatives from the defence and aerospace industry that Britain would have “appropriate defences” as the coalition government prepared to cut spending to slash the deficit.

He was joined by his team of ministers, including Gerald Howarth, Aldershot and Farnborough MP and minister for international security strategy.

It is the first time that the complete team of government defence ministers have attended the airshow on the same day, a Ministry of Defence official said.

'Your champion'

Dr Fox said: “I would like particularly to mention Gerald Howarth, not just because we are in Gerald’s constituency but because he has a central role in the reform process.

“Gerald, as you know, has always been a strong supporter of defence exports and in giving a specific ministerial role to exports, he will be your champion in the Ministry of Defence.

He added: “Go anywhere in the defence world and say Farnborough and everyone will know what you mean.

“It means cutting-edge science, innovation, and technology. It offers unique global business opportunities set against one of the best air shows in the world.

“Here, you have the opportunity to see the best that UK defence industry has to offer.”

For more stories and pictures from the airshow, see the News & Mail, out now.

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This is still true but I'm not that impressed by the flying programme this year. It's funny to think that the biggest head turner of the show is a cold war verteran that first flew in the 50s.

pjt
25/07/2010 at 09:14

Dear God the thought of Gerald Howarth being anyone's champion is almost too much to bear. I suspect also that Gerald's role in the reform process (whatever that may be but will probably come down to just cutting the budget) will be suitably pointless.