According to a Lancashire MP, airports and ports in the UK should be protected by a special army unit. According to Chorley representative Lindsey Hoyle, this special force is needed in order to secure entry into the UK from illegal immigrants and against terrorism.

The BBC has reported that Hoyle submitted this proposal to Gordon Brown in order that it be considered for inclusion into the upcoming Terrorism Bill.

According to Mr. Hoyle, the army is ideally suited to protecting the UK’s borders and airports because of the experience it has in dealing with problems in Northern Ireland. The addition of this valuable experience to Customs and Excise would help to strengthen the level of security in the UK.

In an interview with the BBC, the MP said: “The main port in my local area obviously is Liverpool and Fleetwood as well and Heysham and the two airports Liverpool Airport and the major airport of Manchester. People would feel secure they would feel protected. It’s not just about illegal immigration, it’s terrorism, gun running and drug smuggling. We would be able to crack down on all those things that people are concerned about on the street.”