Royal Navy: Penny Mordaunt slams Lib Dems for spreading "nonsense" about HMS Prince of Wales being sold

Rumours that the aircraft carrier might be sold to raise funds for defence spending were first speculated in the MailOnline last week. But a Navy spokesperson said these claims are “categorically incorrect” and it is committed to operating the HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carriers which left Portsmouth recently for repairs.

In a letter written to the defence secretary, Charlie Murphy, the Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for Portsmouth South along with councillor Steve Pitt, the leader of Portsmouth City Council said the sale would be “disastrous” for national security.

NOW READ: HMS Prince of Wales could be sold, national reports say

They added that contradictory briefs given to the MailOnline and the Telegraph over the last week have left the situation “uncertain” and they asked the defence secretary for assurance for Portsmouth residents and those working in the Royal Navy.

However, Penny Mordaunt, MP for Portsmouth North, said the Portsmouth Lib Dems “should be ashamed of themselves for spreading this sort of unsubstantiated nonsense”.

“We all know it’s their party which wants to cut the size of the Royal Navy and scrap the UK’s Continual At Sea Deterrent,” she added.

“The Conservatives have been and always will be committed to providing our amazing armed forces with the resources they need to defend our nation and this includes two aircraft carriers.”

SEE ALSO: HMS Queen Elizabeth leaves Portsmouth for Rosyth

Labour MP for Portsmouth South Stephen Morgan accepted the assurances given by the Navy. He added that both aircraft carriers are examples of “our nation’s Naval might” and he knows how proud local people are that Portsmouth is their home.

He then targeted the government for “hollowing out” and “underfunding” the armed forces “who are working with fewer troops and without the vital kit they need to fight and fulfil our NATO obligations”.

The Navy maintains two carriers to ensure operational flexibility, with at least one always held at ‘very high readiness’ for NATO deployment.

The MailOnline report discussed conversations among members of the Maritime Enterprise Planning Group. However, the Navy clarified that the group was an unofficial industry forum that had not met in three years.