Portsmouth's plea to allow tours of Royal Navy carrier HMS Prince of Wales and revive Navy Days

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THEY are marvels of British engineering and the most advanced warships on the planet.

Now military chiefs in Whitehall are being called to throw open the doors to the Royal Navy’s two new aircraft carriers here in Portsmouth and revive an age-old tradition.

It comes as almost 13,000 people prepare to tour the nation’s newest aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales this weekend when she arrives in Liverpool.

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The tickets were snaffled up in a matter of days as a feverish wave of excitement swept across the city.

The towers of HMS Prince of Wales (left) and HMS Queen Elizabeth (right) at Portsmouth Naval Base. (Photo by Peter Summers/Getty Images)The towers of HMS Prince of Wales (left) and HMS Queen Elizabeth (right) at Portsmouth Naval Base. (Photo by Peter Summers/Getty Images)
The towers of HMS Prince of Wales (left) and HMS Queen Elizabeth (right) at Portsmouth Naval Base. (Photo by Peter Summers/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Yet a plea to Westminster to stage a similar event in Portsmouth, the home of both the carriers and the Royal Navy, has been met with a lukewarm reception by a defence minister.

Today, The News is appealing for chiefs to give the green light for Portsmouth Naval Base to stage a similar event – and to revive Navy Days in the city.

Stephen Morgan, Labour’s shadow defence minister, is among those backing the idea having already urged the government to allow it.

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The Portsmouth South MP said: ‘The communities’ ties with the Royal Navy are part of our city’s identity.

Stephen Morgan, Portsmouth South MP and shadow defence minister.  Picture: Habibur RahmanStephen Morgan, Portsmouth South MP and shadow defence minister.  Picture: Habibur Rahman
Stephen Morgan, Portsmouth South MP and shadow defence minister. Picture: Habibur Rahman | JPIMedia

‘Many a Portsmouth person will fondly remember growing up with Navy Days, which showcased the military might of our maritime forces, and recognised the inspiring effect they had for many young people looking to start their career in the Royal Navy.

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‘At a time when government is presiding over a recruitment and retention crisis in our armed forces, it is a missed opportunity that ministers are not allowing access to one of the greatest naval engineering feats this country has ever seen – the Queen Elizabeth-class carriers.’

A decade has passed since the Senior Service scrapped its popular Navy Day events in the city, showing off the fleet to the public.

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Since then, the only opportunity people have to see the vessels are when they leave and return to the navy base – or on TV.

Hundreds of people watched as Prince of Wales left Portsmouth last week to begin her next set of sea trials.

The 65,000-tonne warship is due to arrive in Liverpool tomorrow, with tours opening on Saturday.

Mr Morgan said the people of Portsmouth deserve the same opportunity to see the mighty carrier in her home port as those in Merseyside.

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But defence minister James Heappey has poured cold water on the plea.

He said there were ‘currently no plans’ for tours in Portsmouth but insisted the navy would ‘continue to consider’ future opportunities.

He added: ‘Portsmouth is a complex industrial and operational naval base and a key engineering support hub for the Royal Navy. As such, ships alongside will always have some sort of engineering, training or refit activity being undertaken.

‘With the number of naval and defence assets within the base, and taking account of the current security climate and posture, scheduling dates in a ship's programme can be disruptive to operational output. This is especially the case with ships as complex and in demand as the Queen Elizabeth class.’

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Mr Morgan added it was ‘right’ to recognise ‘security implications’ but said he was ‘confident’ minister would allow tours – only if there was the ‘political will’ to.

‘The Queen Elizabeth-class carriers are a major mark in the history of British maritime engineering and act as a visible reminder of what can be achieved when we work together across the UK,’ he said.

‘The government has failed to match this innovative spirit by so far refusing Portsmouth people the opportunity to visit the carriers in a planned way and inspire the next generation to stand up and serve in the Royal Navy.’

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