Mr Gray says the local economy will suffer

One Tory MP even accused the prime minister of lying to Parliament about the future of the base.

James Gray, MP for North Wiltshire, said the closure of Lyneham would have a devastating impact on the local community and could threaten the livelihoods of up to 10,000 people in the area.

"It is a disgraceful announcement, disgracefully handled and it is a huge disappointment for the people of Lyneham," said Mr Gray.

While Jack Dromey of the TGWU union said the would come both as a "shock and a body blow" to the local community.

This is bitter news to the people who rely on the RAF base for their livelihoods Councillor Ruth Coleman

"Many of the people involved have just come back from service in the Gulf," he added.

Mr Gray continued: "Unless we do something very quickly, it will have appalling consequences for the future economy of the local area.

"It will have absolutely devastating consequences - if you add it all up, 10,000 people owe their livelihoods to the base and if it were to go tomorrow, that would be catastrophic.

Mr Gray said he had asked Tony Blair during Prime Minister's Questions in May about the future of RAF Lyneham.

A decision had not been taken about the base [in May] and what the Prime Minister said is true Adam Ingram Defence minister

He said the Prime Minister told him that Lyneham had played a "very important role" in previous conflicts and would play an important role in future conflicts too.

"The Prime Minister lied to the people of Lyneham," said Mr Gray. "He said he was confident the base would play a role for a long time to come. That was a straightforward, downright lie.

"The man had been here a couple of weeks previously.

"He had been fully briefed on the future of the base, he nonetheless stood up in Parliament and told Parliament that the base had a role in all future conflicts. That in my view was a disgrace."

Defence minister Adam Ingram told the BBC: "I would ask Mr Gray to withdraw this charge.

"A decision had not been taken about the base [in May] and what the Prime Minister said is true: if there is a conflict over the next 10 years, Lyneham will be available for use."

The leader of North Wiltshire District Council Councillor Ruth Coleman said she was "bitterly disappointed" at the news.

She said: "This is bitter news to the people who rely on the RAF base for their livelihoods."