Artist's impressed of carriers
being built on the Clyde
Yesterday George Osborne ended the speculation that both of the aircraft carriers, presently being part-built by Clyde shipbuilders, will escape the budget cuts. Good news for the west coast indeed as jobs will be saved for the near future.
However on Channel 4 News last night, William Hague made two astonishing comments. Firstly, the decision to go ahead with the project was influenced by the fact that it would be far more expensive to cancel it. The last labour government had tied up contracts to the extent that cancellation was impossible unless the government was prepared to lose many millions.
Secondly, the design doesn't allow for allied planes to land on the craft admitted William Hague. Therefore US and French aircraft will be unable to utilise them and there will be no new fast jets for sometime after they come into service.
The aircraft carrier project has been on the cards since 2003 and yet we're still years away from a delivery date, although 2014 and 2016 have recently been suggested. I know nothing about ship building but in the early 1900s it only took 3 years for Harland and Wolf, Belfast, to build the Titanic. Ok, perhaps that's not a good example (I am watching the programme), but surely we can produce a warship in less than 13 years.
The Telegraph is reporting that, although the two carriers will enter service, one will be mothballed as soon as possible. Also said is that the first of the carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth, will come into service in2016 configured to carry helicopters, not jets. 'The second new carrier, HMS Prince of Wales,will arrive in 2019. At that point HMS Queen Elizabeth will be put into "extended readiness", effectively mothballed indefinitely'. It could well be sold to another country in an attempt to recoup some of the building costs.
The Telegraph is reporting that, although the two carriers will enter service, one will be mothballed as soon as possible. Also said is that the first of the carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth, will come into service in2016 configured to carry helicopters, not jets. 'The second new carrier, HMS Prince of Wales,will arrive in 2019. At that point HMS Queen Elizabeth will be put into "extended readiness", effectively mothballed indefinitely'. It could well be sold to another country in an attempt to recoup some of the building costs.
Alex Salmond led the protests to the Westminster government with regard to axing the carriers. If he'd been told, before he put all that effort in, that they would cost far more to cancel than produce, I can imagine his saying, "Dinnae be daft." Then again, he's an astute politician with a thorough knowledge of the workings of Westminster, so perhaps he have said, "That disnae surprise me".
It certainly shines some light on how badly this one project was managed by the last Labour government and how money was poured down the drain. What else will come to light in the near future?
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