Now that the government's decided to build new aircraft carriers but not put any aircraft on them (and to sell the billion-pound vehicle after three years), I have a deck on which to place my chair. This ship is going to wander around the world with absolutely nothing to do, then be sold off at a catastrophic loss if it isn't sunk by Afghan mujahideen first.
The Royal Navy will have to wait 10 years until as many as 50 new joint striker aircraft can be launched using the catapult and trap system – "cat and trap" – from the new Prince of Wales aircraft carrier. This will be the second of the new aircraft carriers to be built at a combined cost of £5.9bn. The first aircraft carrier – the Queen Elizabeth – will be in service between 2016-19 as a helicopter carrier before it is mothballed, known as "extended readiness", and possibly sold off.Really, what an utter waste of time and money. Why not employ all those shipbuilders in making science research vessels or free yachts for all? If the money's to be spent, spend it on something useful.
Still, anyone for deck tennis? Quoits? We're going to have a lot of fit, suntanned sporty sailors ready for the Olympics!
Oh yes: this just in from the Department of Bullshit
Cameron later reassured Barack Obama that Britain would remain a "first rate military power and a robust ally of the US".
