John Baron MP hosts Lord Mayor of Birmingham in Parliament

MP welcomes Lord Mayor’s support for campaign to save 2RRF

Last week the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, the Lady Mayoress and the Deputy Lord Mayor came up to London in support of the campaign to support 2^nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (2RRF). The battalion recruits from Birmingham and the local area, and under present plans is due to be disbanded in June 2014.

The Lord Mayor and his party were accompanied by Col (Rtd) Ian Brazier, the Chairman of the Fusiliers’ Association, and other ex-Fusiliers from the Birmingham area. They joined John Baron MP outside Number 10, as part of the Honour Guard ex-Fusiliers have been maintaining during weekly Cabinet meetings. After a tour around the Fusiliers Museum in the Tower of London, the Lord Mayor was received by John in Parliament.

Col Ian Brazier said,

“2RRF is the best-recruited regiment in the British Army over the last 30 years. It is sustainable and highly experienced so why would you get rid of it?”

“There are 21 other battalions who are less well recruited. Scrapping 2RRF is like scrapping a first division team to support a third division one – it does not make sense.”

The Lord Mayor said,

“Birmingham has many links with the armed forces, but the Fusiliers are our own regiment. How could a city the size of Birmingham not have its own regiment?”

John said,

“I would like to thank the Lord Mayor for joining our campaign – it is much appreciated. The people of Birmingham have always been stalwart supporters of the Fusiliers, and long may it continue.”