Ministry of Defence branded 'foolhardy' for cutting ties with ex-Royal Navy 'workhorse' HMS Clyde

The former HMS Clyde was decommissioned in Portsmouth in December – just hours after she returned from a mammoth 12-year stint guarding the Falkland Islands.

The offshore patrol vessel had been leased to the Senior Service from defence giant BAE Systems. However, the lease expired at the end of March.

There had been hopes an agreement could be struck to keep Clyde on with the navy to bolster its fishery protection squadron while Britain’s divorce with the European Union was being finalised.

However, armed forces minister James Heappey has now confirmed the Ministry of Defence has ‘no plans for a further role’ for the ship, dashing any such proposals.

The news has concerned Admiral Lord Alan West, who argued the vessel should have been kept in the navy’s hands until a key fishery deal with the EU was ironed out.

The former First Sea Lord said: ‘Because we still don’t know what the final agreement will be on fishery and exclusive economic zone protection when we have totally and completely “brexited”, we should be ensuring we have got enough assets should we need to ramp that up.

‘I think it is foolhardy to get rid of Clyde at the moment. She should be put in care and maintenance – still in the Royal Navy – sitting on the sidelines until we know exactly what is going to happen in terms of fishery protection.’

Britain will still have three River-class patrol ships prowling the nation’s coasts conducting ‘fishery patrol tasking alongside their other defences tasks’, Mr Heappey said.

Quizzed about plans for Clyde and fishery protection by former defence committee chairman Julian Lewis, the minister said: ‘HMS Mersey, Tyne and Severn are, and will continue to be, used to fulfil the Royal Navy's commitments under the memorandum of understanding between the Royal Navy and the Marine Management Organisation.

‘In addition, the Royal Navy maintains a number of high readiness forces in UK waters that could be called upon to assist if requested.’

Speaking of Clyde, Mr Heappey added: ‘The MoD has no plans for a further role for HMS Clyde.’

It’s understood BAE Systems is in the process of selling the vessel.

Reports last year claimed Clyde could be sold to the Brazilian navy. But this rumour has since been dispelled.

Speaking of the ship’s future, a spokesman for BAE Systems said: ‘Due to ongoing commercial sensitivities we are unable to comment on what will happen now the lease period for HMS Clyde has ended.’

Lord West said there could be other options on the table, which included leasing the vessel to the UK Border Force, which operates from Portsmouth.

‘If she is going to be utilised by border force then that’s not quite so bad,’ the Labour peer added.

Clyde was launched in 2006 and was built entirely at Portsmouth Naval Base.

During her time defending the Falklands, more than 800 sailors have served on her.

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