Royal Navy: HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Queen Elizabeth "underpowered" and need help, Suella Braverman says

The Conservative MP for Fareham and Waterlooville raised concerns about the UK’s defences in parliament on Monday (November 11). Ms Braverman stated how important HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Queen Elizabeth - both stationed in Portsmouth - are to the country’s defences.

Despite this comment, the former home secretary was worried about how the fleet will operate in the future. As reported in the UK Defence Journal, Ms Braverman said: “One of the big achievements of the last 14 years was the delivery of the aircraft carriers, both of which are stationed in Portsmouth, near my constituency.

“However, it remains clear that they are underpowered. We need more Type 45s, more Type 26s and more Type 31s.” Ms Braverman also challenged the government’s lack of clarity over raising defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP.

Treasury minister Darren Jones declined to say when this spending boost will be implemented while being questioned on the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme. He said any decisions will be made after the Strategic Defence Review - a full examination of the UK’s defences and armed forces - is finalised. Alarm bells were raised after he declined to say if this increase would be made in the current parliament, which ends in 2029. Raising defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP was a Labour manifesto pledge.

Ms Braverman said in parliament that a more robust spending plan was necessary, particularly in relation to the aircraft carriers. She said: “If the Government are serious about the 2.5%, when will they set out their plan to invest in our Royal Navy and, in particular, our aircraft carriers, so that our carrier strike group can provide a world-class capability?”

Defence secretary John Healey acknowledged the importance of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Queen Elizabeth to the country’s defence strategy. He added that the Strategic Defence Review allows the UK to asses current and future threats.

“The aircraft carriers constitute an important defence programme,” Healey stated. “We are considering the threats that we face and the future capabilities that we need as part of the strategic defence review, which will report in the spring, and we will follow that within our clear path and our commitment to spending 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence, just as the Chief Secretary to the Treasury told the media yesterday (November 10).”