Geoffrey Cox, MP

for Torridge and West Devon, has condemned as “utterly irresponsible” the attempt by Scottish

Labour MPs, and by the local Liberal Democrats, to whip up misleading scare

stories about the future of the two new aircraft carriers being built for the

Royal Navy.

Part of the steel construction is being carried out at Appledore

Shipyard. The Lib Dems have falsely claimed that a new Conservative Government

would “use break clauses on day one in

government” to “seek to halt” the

carrier contracts.

The MP met Peter

Rogers, the Chief Executive of the Shipyard owners, Babcock, and Archie

Bethell, Chief Executive of Babcock Marine, on Wednesday at the House of

Commons for discussions about the project and the future of the Yard. He is to

make another visit to the Shipyard at the end of the month.

Geoffrey Cox

said: “I had a very good discussion with Babcock who fully understand the

Conservative position, as well as my own firm support for the Appledore

Shipyard and for the aircraft carrier project, and I am maintaining very close

touch with them. But it does not help Appledore Shipyard to misrepresent the

situation.

“Liam Fox has

not said that the aircraft carriers will be discontinued or that the break

clauses will be used. He has said that in this grave financial crisis, there

will have to be a strategic defence review into the armed forces as a whole

from which nothing can sensibly be excluded. Part of that review, which will

last 18 months, will have to look at the aircraft carriers. Since this

government will not disclose details of the break clauses, all Liam said was

that, in the first place, he would have to investigate what they say so as to

be able to establish whether there was any way the carrier contracts could be

altered. If not, that would be an end of the matter. But even if there were

suitable break clauses, no decision whatsoever has been made to discontinue

them, which would, even if it was desired, be extremely difficult to do. There

will be a defence review, and Liam has emphasised the importance of maritime

security to this country.”

He added: “It is

sad that the Liberal Democrats appear willing to use almost any desperate

tactic to gain attention and to shore up their failing support here in the

South West but to exploit the natural anxieties of local people about their

livelihoods by making misleading and inaccurate statements in this way is

utterly irresponsible.”