Plymouth councillors unite against government scrapping of assault ships

HMS Bulwark and HMS Albion. Credit: PA

Councillors have unanimously agreed to to urge the Government not to scrap Plymouth's amphibious assault ships.

At a specially-convened meeting of Plymouth City Council this evening, 24 October, councillors from both Labour and the Conservatives backed a cross-party motion calling for HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark to be saved.

Bulwark and Albion are two of the most formidable ships in the Royal Navy's fleet with a combined weight of 40,000 tonnes and a combined 26 years of service.

Council leader Ian Bowyer said: "This isn't about politics, it's about the interests of Plymouth, its people, its economy and prosperity".

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has dismissed the reports as "speculation".