Is Devonport sacrifice a bluff?
Personal View
It is being reported that the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, had offered to sacrifice Devonport Naval Base in order to save the Royal Navy’s historically small fleet of ships. He is also said to be prepared to hand over the Royal Marines to the Army.
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It will not escape Devon and Cornwall residents that if these moves went ahead, our part of the world would be badly hit.
Here’s a thought. Could this be nothing but a bluff by the Admiral?
Consider the following: last year a Naval Base Review contained a commitment from the previous Government that Devonport would be the home of the Royal Navy’s amphibious ships: HMS Ocean, HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark. It would also be base for some of the Royal Marines who serve on the ships. In addition, Devonport would be the UK’s “deep maintenance facility” for all major surface ship refits. The port facility is possibly the only site where the Navy can refuel and refit its nuclear submarines.
Considering that some of the moves would simply transfer the costs from one part of the Defence budget to another, it seems unlikely the MoD would give up all those facilities at Devonport.
South West Devon MP Gary Streeter said the Government had told him, and Plymouth’s other two MPs, that Devonport was not being considered for closure.
The Conservatives in particular will need Devon and Cornwall support at the next General Election, which may come sooner than many people think.
Was the First Sea Lord putting assets on the table that he knew could not be sacrificed?
Stranger things have happened in tight budget negotiations.