Let Portsmouth residents tour navy's new aircraft carriers, says Portsmouth MP Stephen Morgan

The aircraft carrier is due to arrive in Liverpool on Friday February 28, with tours of the vessel to take place across that weekend.

A total of 50 tours, lasting 15 minutes each, were offered through free tickets – which sold out within an hour of their release last week.

Now Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan has written to the MoD to ask for residents of Portsmouth – home of the navy’s two new aircraft carriers – be allowed to tour the ships when they are in the city.

The shadow defence minister said: ‘My dad volunteers at The Mary Rose Museum and so many people ask him why they can’t go on board the new aircraft carriers.

‘So I have written to the commander of HMS Prince of Wales asking for the people of Portsmouth to be given a similar opportunity as the people of Liverpool.

‘I have also forwarded on the request to the MoD.

‘And I have submitted some parliamentary questions about value it would bring to the city in terms of tourism.’

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Liverpool City Councillor Wendy Simon, the city’s deputy mayor and tourism boss, said the visit and public tours were a ‘huge coup’ for the city.

She said: ‘There has been a real buzz around the arrival of HMS Prince of Wales.

‘For many, it will be a once in a lifetime opportunity to board a warship of this scale, and it makes it even more special that it is affiliated with Liverpool.’

Following her visit to city, the £3.1bn supercarrier is due to tackle her next phase of sea tests ahead of her first trials with the F-35 stealth jet.