Growing fears Tories will axe rusting British warship linked to Parliament

02 November 2023 , 17:40

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HMS Westminster is in a basin at Devonport naval base (Image: MATTKEEBLE)

A submarine-hunting warship closely linked to Parliament and which appeared in a James Bond film sits rusting in a basin amid mounting fears she will be axed.

The Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Westminster had been due for a £100million upgrade to keep her at sea for at least another five years. But it is understood work has been suspended after engineers discovered the “poor material condition of the ship”. Now, the Tories are refusing to guarantee her future - sparking claims she might be scrapped or sold to a foreign navy.

The 4,900-tonne, 436ft Duke-class vessel, which was built by Swan-Hunter at Wallsend, Newcastle and launched in February 1992, featured in the 007 film Tomorrow Never Dies. But her future is mired in uncertainty as she stands rusting and covered in scaffolding at Devonport in Plymouth, Devon.

Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey asked the Ministry of Defence whether it “plans to retire HMS Westminster from Royal Navy Service within the next 12 months”. But Defence Procurement Minister James Cartlidge swerve answering, saying: “HMS Westminster remains in Devonport dockyard and is part of a modernisation programme being implemented to all Type 23s that are in upkeep. We do not disclose the fine detail of forward availability forecasts to preserve the operational security of the Fleet.”

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The once-proud warships is rusting and covered in scaffolding (MATTKEEBLE)

He also warned that while “the estimated cost for refitting HMS Westminster is £100m”, the “upkeep for HMS Westminster is budgeted through the Future Maritime Support Programme”. He said its £5billion funding “is adjusted to support changing requirements accordingly and as such is not broken down to the refit and maintenance of individual assets”.

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The response stoked fears the money will not be spent on Westminster, known throughout the Navy as “the capital ship” because of her London links. Mr Cartlidge also dodged questions about when Westminster’s modernisation would be completed, when she will “be ready for deployment” and the date of her planned retirement.

Shadow Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard told the Mirror: “The Conservatives have hollowed out our armed forces over the last 13 years, including our Navy which has seen one in five ships removed from service. At a time of war in Europe, speculation around HMS Westminster’s future only fuels more concern about the strength of our Royal Navy. In Government, Labour will ensure that our forces have the kit they need to fight and fulfil our NATO obligations in full.”

HMS Westminster has close links with Parliament, with a huge poster of the warship greeting MPs at Westminster Tube station. In 2005, her company were all granted Freedom of the City of Westminster.

The vessel has a proud history and in March 2011, she took part in Operation Ellamy - the British role in coalition action during the 2011 Libyan civil war. She and other Western vessels enforced a naval blockade in the Mediterranean.

Sixteen Duke-class frigates were built between 1989 and 2002. Three have been sold to the Chilean navy, two - Montrose and Monmouth - are being sold for scrap and spare parts, while Westminster is deemed “inactive”. Just 10 are available to go to sea.

The Navy is replacing the class of ship with eight, Type 26 City-class Global Combat Ship vessels and five Type 31, light frigates.