Devonport is "submarine graveyard" says shadow defence secretary

He promises brighter future if Labour elected

Devonport Dockyard is a “submarine graveyard” right now, according to Labour’s shadow defence secretary, who promises a brighter future for the base should the party win the next general election.

Following a tour of the Babcock-run dockyard on Thursday, John Healey declared submarine refitting at the base central to Labour’s commitment to the UK defence industry.

Mr Healey says his party will go into the election totally committed to maintaining the UK nuclear deterrent, with four new Dreadnought Class  Trident missile submarines, upgraded weapons systems and “anything else that was needed.”

Devonport, which includes the UK’s sole licensed site for the refitting and refuel/defuel of nuclear-powered submarines, will be responsible for refitting the Trafalgar and Vanguard Class submarines, extending their working lives.

“Plymouth has hundreds of years of naval history and has a bright future,” said the minister. “The job that Devonport does is essential to the the UK’s security and its economy. The UK’s defence starts with submarines, not just our nuclear bombers, but our attack submarines as well.”

The Labour MP for Wentworth and Dearne said the government had “not done a good enough job” in dealing with decommissioned nuclear submarines, with 12 still waiting to be dismantled at Devonport.

“It’s a submarine graveyard. The programme to dismantle these submarines has stalled, particularly over the last decade,” he said. “Being a responsible nuclear nation also means dealing with the nuclear waste after these submarines reach the end of their working life.

“We need to create the capacity at Devonport so it can deal with the maintenance and the servicing that keeps our modern submarines at sea defending us all in the future.”

He believes Plymouth has a skills shortage and that support and training programmes are required.

“There needs to be a much wider catchment of talent and for people to see working at the dockyard as not only a potential career for life, but something that contributes to the wellbeing of Plymouth and to the security of the whole country.”

Mr Healey said he felt the nation’s contract with former service personnel and the families had been corrupted over the years, particularly in terms of accommodation.  He says 4,000 veterans now live in homes so bad the government does not even charge them rent.

“If this had been a top priority for any military or government leaders over the last decade they would have sorted it, so I want to make sure we go into the election with a plan to fix this,” he said.

He said Plymouth is a model of great leadership from the city council and the city has naval history “wired through its thinking.”

But support for veterans is a postcode lottery, he believes, and many veterans are homeless or suffering mental health issues. “I do not want to see anyone who has served their country forced to sleep rough on our streets. It does not need to happen, it shames our country that it does happen.”

Labour would make the armed forces covenant (which organisations can sign up to show their support for former service personnel) a legal requirement for local authorities so veterans have better access to employment, pensions, or other support.

One in 11 people living in Plymouth have served in the forces, making it the one of the largest veteran populations in the country.

Plymouth City Council leader Tudor Evans (Labour) said the city is doing the best it can for veterans, has more ex-service personnel working for the council than many others in the area, and is determined to tackle homelessness.

The latest figures show 200 people in bed and breakfast accommodation in the city, which Cllr Evans says is unacceptable.

He said Plymouth had lots to be proud of with its military history, its collaboration with partners in marine innovation and was leading the way in marine autonomy.

“There are loads of geniuses operating in our city now, but because it is defence, a lot of it is secret. If this was Rolls Royce you would be out there with flags and banners and tooting the horn but because everyone signs the Official Secrets Act they can’t tell anyone about it and it’s tragic really because most of what is going on is remarkable.”