Photo: ReutersNo Warships Left Defending Britain After Defence Cutbacks -- The Telegraph
Defence cuts have left the stretched Royal Navy unable to provide an emergency standby ship to protect British waters for a month.
The Navy normally provides a minimum coverage of a frigate or destroyer fulfilling the role of Fleet Ready Escort (FRE) in order to be able to respond quickly to a potential threat at home or abroad.
However, slashed Defence budgets and the war in Libya has meant there hasn't been a vessel available since the start of October.
The last ship to fill the role, called the FRE, was HMS Portland but that left for war games off the coast of Scotland in October, and it is now having a rest period in Plymouth on the south coast.
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My Comment: I can here the British political class line right now .... nothing to see here .... let's move on.