Six ‘new’ ships are from Tory pledge two years ago, Shapps says

Grant Shapps was pressed on whether the up to six ships the government has pledged to build are from a Conservative pledge two years ago.

The defence secretary has claimed the UK was experiencing a “golden age” of shipbuilding, with “up to” 28 Royal Navy vessels either being constructed or planned.

When questioned if the vessels are “the same ones the government pledged to build two years ago”, Mr Shapps said: “Yes, we’ve signalled that we’d want to build new ships for our commandos. And that’s something we’ve said all along. What’s changed is we’re now able to do it because we’ve increased our defense spending.”