The Royal Regiment of Scotland will not be dismantled to bring back historic infantry regiments if the Conservatives win the general election.
The news will come as a blow to campaigners demanding the restoration of regiments including The Black Watch.
There was fury when Scotland’s six infantry regiments were formed into a single regiment four years ago.
At the time the then new Conservative leader David Cameron condemned the move, but said that it was impossible to say whether a future Tory government would reverse the decision until nearer the next general election.
Yesterday, with that election a matter of weeks away, the man who would be his defence secretary if the Conservatives win told The Courier that it was now too late to unpick the Royal Regiment of Scotland and reform the ancient regiments.
However, Dr Liam Fox — a Scot born in East Kilbride — guaranteed that under a Tory government the old regimental links with communities, famous hackles, and names — the so-called golden threat — would be preserved.
“The army’s view is that they have had enough reorganisation and do not want to reorganise back and for me that has to be the priority argument,” he told The Courier.
Dr Fox added, “I understand the bitterness and I share the anger of those who take the view that the current Labour government simply don’t understand the armed forces.
“It did not understand the loyalties which motivate people in our armed forces.
“But the damage has been done and the advice I get from the army is that it would be even more of an upheaval to try to unpick the damage.
“Given the problems that we face in the armed forces the last thing we need is unnecessary upheaval.
“I understand why people feel passionately about the subject, but we cannot subject the armed forces to any further unnecessary change.
“We should let well alone. Big mistakes have been made but let’s not try to fix what is not broken.”
Since the creation of the Royal Regiment of Scotland campaigners have aired fears historic names like The Black Watch and the famous Red Hackle could disappear in an effort to bring uniformity to the regiment.
Dr Fox said it was vital to maintain the history and traditions of the old regiments in the areas from which they recruit.
“You need to have a sense of history,” he said.
“You need to have an emotional motivation that people have.
“If you break those links, you not only destroy that continuity with that very proud history, you also run the risk that people will not feel the same affinity with the forces and recruitment and retention can become a problem as a consequence.”
Asked if he, as defence secretary, would guarantee to retain hackles and names, he said, “Why would you want to break a link that is so established, that is so treasured and which is so important in issues such as recruitment and retention.
“Why would you want to do it?
“What would be gained by doing that?
“I think we should have more than a utilitarian approach and I think we should understand historical nuances and we should understand emotional attachments.
“They are part of our military heritage.
“There will always be a case for change and evolution but it should be evolution not revolution.”