On Friday in my position as Shadow Minister for Defence Procurement I visited Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead to see current operations and hear about some of their future plans across both their defence and civilian operations.

Cammell Laird is one of the oldest employers and businesses in the City Region and the last shipbuilder on the Mersey, playing a pivotal role in sustaining jobs and opportunity while supporting the local economy and playing an important role in Wirral’s community. It is known globally and continues to provide ship repair services. The yard is also capable of building full vessels like the Sir David Attenborough. the most advanced polar research vessel in the world that was built and launched onto the Mersey at Cammell Laird.

I saw a number of ships that were in for refit, including the ferry renamed “Royal Iris of the Mersey” that is currently in dry dock for an update and cleaning that will keep it in service on the Mersey. Also in for refit were HMS Tiderace and HMS Fort Victoria, as well as the Stirling Castle.

Shipbuilding jobs in Britain have fallen by over 80,000 since the early 1980s, making safeguarding the existence of Cammell Laird and other shipbuilders around the country vitally important if they are to remain central to our defence and security. They take on a cohort of 50 apprentices a year that will help safeguard the future of shipbuilding on the Mersey for many years to come.

Whilst there on Friday I spoke to trade union members who told me of their disappointment and anger that the Tories had in 2022 awarded a vital contract to build three Fleet Solid Support ships worth £1.6 billion to Navantia, a Spanish-government owned company, over the Team UK bid. The Navantia contract will provide some work for Harland & Wolff. Cammell Laird would like to build complete ships for the navy, something they have the skills, resources and experience to do.