DARC Matters 11 – Politics
An artist’s impression of the proposed radar station above Newgale Courtesy of PARC Against DARC
PARC Against DARC, the organisation campaigning against the controversial Ministry of Defence proposal for a space radar station on the St Davids peninsula, has claimed that local MP Henry Tufnell has not only shied away from taking any kind of stand on the issue but has also ignored an invitation from the group to get involved.
It says: “The campaign, along with members of the public, have contacted Henry Tufnell on numerous occasions, and our experience echoes that of many others, as we have received reports that he has completely ignored hundreds of emails requesting answers on DARC.”
But a spokesperson for Mr Tufnell countered by saying: “Constituents who write in to Henry receive a reply and any comments are noted. One of the more recent responses we have sent is: ‘Thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding the proposed Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) project. I am grateful to you for sharing your views on this important issue. Since the DARC site was initially proposed, I have consistently called for the MoD to prioritise community engagement throughout all stages of the consultation process, and so I was pleased that the MoD carried out non-statutory consultation meetings recently. It is important however that this is an ongoing process, so that the community has access to the necessary information about the proposals. Furthermore, in addition to there being appropriate planning and environmental processes, if the DARC project is to proceed, it is vital that it brings real local community benefit, such as through local employment and educational opportunities. Please be assured that I remain in contact with the MoD and will ensure that your concerns are raised directly with them.'”
Mid and South Pembrokeshire MP Henry Tufnell
PARC Against DARC said: “All eyes are on Henry Tufnell to declare a position on DARC once and for all. This comes as Liz Saville Roberts MP, Plaid Cymru’s defence spokesperson, tables an early day motion (EDM) in UK Parliament calling for DARC radar plans to be scrapped entirely.
“As the MP for Mid and South Pembrokeshire and therefore the MP responsible for the proposed [DARC] site at Brawdy, [Henry Tufnell] has a public duty to take a personal, thorough and detailed interest in this issue. Accordingly, we invited [him] to table this EDM on our behalf, yet he did not even have the courtesy to respond to our email requesting this.
“There appears to have developed some kind of political vacuum in west Wales, where much-needed answers should be forthcoming, yet both local politicians in Labour and UK Cabinet politicians will, for whatever reason, not break cover or speak out on extremely important issues such as this…”
Pembrokeshire.Online asked Mr Tufnell’s spokesperson specifically about the allegation that PARC Against DARC’s approaches by email were ignored. But at the time of publication, we had received no response. We also asked about the possibility of an interview with Mr Tufnell on the DARC issue but, again, at time of publication, there had been no response.
The early day motion, DARC in Wales, was tabled on 19 March.
It reads: “That this House:
+ notes with deep concern the proposed US-UK-Australian military radar project, DARC (Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability), which would install 27 21m-high, 15m-wide parabolic radar dishes within sight of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park;
+ believes this would severely harm the visual landscape, local tourism, and the internationally recognised natural ecology of the area;
+ further notes the concerns regarding potential health risks posed by radiofrequency signals, as indicated by scientific studies, on residential populations located less than a kilometre from the site;
+ highlights that DARC, as part of the AUKUS Treaty, is in violation of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty’s prohibition on the national appropriation of space and undermines international law;
+ warns that the deployment of anti-satellite weaponry, for which DARC is a crucial targeting device, threatens to destabilise the civilian satellite network by generating hazardous space debris of a volatile and unpredictable nature which increases the probability of damage to essential infrastructure;
+ urges the Government to recognise that DARC lacks strategic military necessity compared to other priorities;
+ and calls on the government to permanently withdraw its planning application for the Pembrokeshire site and any alternative UK location.”
The early day motion followed a similar statement of opinion’ tabled by Cefin Campbell MS in the Senedd, also opposing DARC.
PARC Against DARC says it plans to hand-deliver 650 information booklets and letters to all 650 MPs in a trip to Westminster and to continue to call on politicians in both the Senedd and UK Parliament to sign the respective statements of opposition to DARC.
