As Whitehall braced for cuts expected in Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement next week, the project – intended to boost trade after Brexit – was abandoned in favor of defense capabilities. The plan, championed by Johnson when he was prime minister, was likely to cost up to £250m, with additional annual running costs of up to £30m. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, who had previously backed the idea and described critics as “disasters”, told the House of Commons he had withdrawn on Monday. He said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Vladimir Putin’s “reckless disregard for international arrangements aimed at maintaining world order” meant it was more important to offer “capabilities that protect our national infrastructure”. Wallace confirmed that he had “directed the termination of the national flagship competition with immediate effect” in order to prioritize the procurement of a multipurpose ocean surveillance ship (MRoss). MRoss would “protect sensitive defense infrastructure and civilian infrastructure” and “improve our ability to detect threats on the seabed and cables,” he said. Sunak’s spokesman said the prime minister thought it was “right to prioritize at a time when difficult spending decisions need to be made”. The Labor Party welcomed the news that the government is scrapping Johnson’s “taxpayer-funded vanity programme”. John Healey, the shadow defense secretary, said: “At a time when threats to this country are increasing and Conservative financial mismanagement threatens future prosperity, this money would be better spent on our nation’s defence.” The ship was expected to be built in the UK and was scheduled to hit the water in 2024 or 2025, touring the world as a “floating embassy”. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Harland & Wolff, a shipbuilding and marine engineering operator based in Belfast, said it was one of two finalists in the design procurement process. John Wood, the company’s chief executive, said the decision to scrap the program was “disappointing”, but added: “We understand the rationale for doing so, given the current macroeconomic environment and the ongoing situation in Ukraine.” He said the flagship would have “returned many multiples of its construction cost to the UK economy over many decades, acting as an international showcase for the creativity and engineering talent the UK has to offer”. However, the Commons defense committee said in 2021 that “there is no evidence of an advantage to the Royal Navy from acquiring the national flagship” and that the cost would pile extra pressure on the armed forces.
