RAF Leuchars mum earns First Minister’s admiration

A mother-of-three who faces being separated from her RAF Leuchars-based husband by 350 miles has been named by Scotland’s First Minister as one of the English women he admires most.

Deborah Stephenson and her three children were helped up steps by Alex Salmond into a public meeting about the fate of the station in Leuchars last week.

At the meeting, the aircraft technician told how the closest base she was offered to aircraft engineer husband Andrew on returning to work in April is RAF Coningsby, in Lincolnshire.

In a webchat on Mumsnet on Tuesday, Mr Salmond listed Deborah alongside Germaine Greer and Shami Chakrabarti, from Liberty, when asked which English women he admired.

He said, “I like the lady from RAF Leuchars who took four (sic) children along to the campaign meeting last Friday and, as an RAF technician, made an emotional but powerful case in defence of her entitlement to work in an area to which she had become so committed.”

Deborah, who took a career break to care for Frankie (3) and 22-month-old twins Alex and Sam, also told how she was determined to return to the job she loves despite childcare costs meaning she will effectively work for free.