Navy cuts leave Britain's shores unprotected
Britain has been left without a single warship to protect the country's shores from a terror attack, it emerged today.
The Ministry of Defence admitted that there had been no frigate or destroyer deployed for this specific task for a month.
The revelation sparked immediate calls for the new Defence Secretary Philip Hammond to explain the gap in Navy cover around the UK.
Former First Sea Lord Admiral Lord West said: "It's a big problem. If we haven't got a ship ready to do this role then it's worrying."
Shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy added: "This proves Labour's arguments that cuts made in the defence review and unforeseen events around the world have limited Britain's capacity to act militarily.
"The country will be expecting a response from the new Defence Secretary."
The Royal Navy normally provides a minimum coverage of one warship fulfilling the role of Fleet Ready Escort. The ship must be at high readiness for an emergency, including a terrorist attack, in UK waters or abroad, or a search and rescue operation.
However pressures on the navy caused by cuts to its fleet in last year's strategic defence and strategy review as well as its commitments to the Nato mission to Libya, has left it unable to fill the role.
A Royal Navy spokesman said: "It has been necessary to reprofile the commitments of some ships. Should a FRE activation be required, a Royal Navy ship would be allocated."
