During his first session in front of the newly constituted Commons defence select committee, Mr Healey was asked directly about the fate of the carriers – HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales – by Labour MP Emma Lewell-Buck.
Mr Healey, who had been discussing the strategic defence review he launched when he took office in July, warned MPs that the government needed to show “realism and honesty the commitments we can make to allies and we make in committing our own forces”.
On Wednesday, he had given a surprise statement in the Commons about £500m of cuts, including scrapping the Royal Navy’s two remaining amphibious assault craft, 31 helicopters (14 Chinooks and 17 Pumas), the watchkeeper drones and a frigate HMS Northumberland.
This story is from the November 22, 2024 edition of The Independent.
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This story is from the November 22, 2024 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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