Minister boosts campaign to save Portsmouth Naval Base
Senior Minister Derek Twigg MP spoke out at a recent meeting in the Houses of Parliament about the future of Portsmouth naval base and the vital role it has to play in the future of the city. The comments of the defence minister came as a massive boost to campaigners fighting to save the home of the navy from closure.
Mr Twigg cited the base's role as home to the new Type 45 destroyers and super-aircraft carriers as well as the Operation Dreadnought cost-cutting drive as major feathers in its cap.
He was speaking during a debate in Westminster Hall in the Houses of Parliament called by Portsmouth North MP Sarah McCarthy-Fry on the future of Portsmouth naval base.
Mr Twigg was faced by a united cross-party coalition of MPs from the area, including Labour's Ms McCarthy-Fry, Lib Dem Portsmouth South MP Mike Hancock and Fareham Tory Mark Hoban, as well as Tory defence spokesman Julian Lewis. He insisted ministers needed to wait for the recommendations from the Navy Review Board, which is looking at cuts that could see the closure of one of the country's three navy bases.
Mr Twigg raised hopes by saying the board should take note of future plans for Portsmouth and the £30m savings highlighted through Operation Dreadnought, which has been drawn up by the base. He said: 'Under current plans, Portsmouth will be the home of the new Type 45s and aircraft carriers. The review board needs to take note of this. Also, the naval base's savings under Operation Dreadnought need to be given due weight by the review board.'
But he added that the savings still needed to be validated and said all the options, including keeping all three bases or closing all three bases, were still open.
However, his positive comments about Dreadnought came just a day after the commander of the base, Commodore David Steel, also said that the plan had been well-received.
And in her speech, Ms McCarthy-Fry concentrated on the economic and military arguments for keeping the Portsmouth base open.
She pointed out that Portsmouth was the home for 60 per cent of the surface fleet and most Royal Navy families were housed in the area. She said it was the only location where the new carriers could be re-armed on site and that it was also the home of shipbuilding with VT and maintenance with Fleet Support Ltd.
'Portsmouth is a one- stop shop for the Royal Navy, which makes it unique,' she said.
Portsmouth News is running a campaign to save the Base, if you would like to voice your concerns on this issue email handsoff@thenews.co.uk. All responses will be presented to Defence Secretary Des Browne
Send this story to a colleague
