Leader: Paying tribute to the heroes of the Falklands

Thirty years ago today an opportunistic Fascist junta invaded the Falkland Islands and subjugated the citizens in an act of armed aggression that tweaked the tail of the British lion.

What followed was our last 'old-fashioned' war.

The Argentines had calculated that the British had neither the will nor the capability to regain this remote piece of territory thousands of miles away in the South Atlantic.

They were very nearly right. There were doubters in the Cabinet about the possibility of doing anything other than making protests.

It was Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Leach who persuaded Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher that the Royal Navy could recover the islands – and should do so. "If we do not . . . in another few months we shall be living in a different country," he famously told her.

A task force of naval ships and liners, ferries, and merchant vessels proved enough to do the job. It was a close run thing.

It was the last war in which Britain has taken part in which the issues have been unambiguous and British interest has been clear cut.

History shows that Mrs Thatcher reaped a political harvest.

On the Labour benches there were many who were prepared to countenance a compromise with Fascism and surrender the Falklanders to some sort of vague joint sovereignty arrangement which would have rewarded the aggressor.

They were wrong. Fighting for the Falklands was the right thing at the time and has been shown to be the right thing in hindsight.

Even Argentina benefited as the humiliation of defeat led to the downfall of the military junta under which thousands had disappeared.

Free elections followed in 1983 marking a transition to democracy.

It was not just the Falklands which were liberated.

There was a cost in lives and treasure. Today is a day to pay tribute to those who made the sacrifice in the cause of freedom.

The Falklands was the last war in which Britain fought alone and, probably, there will never be another like it.

Britain retained its honour and its reputation, but is today a "different country", with an enfeebled fleet, no aircraft carriers, and militarily dependent on operating in concert with its allies.

But, just as in 1982, our fighting men and women are doing their duty in far flung places around the world with undiminished courage.

Today we remember with pride the heroes of the Falklands. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.