Rishi Sunak “Northern Ireland – its people and its future – are rightly at the centre of our shipbuilding ambitions"

During his visit the prime minister is expected to highlight the UK-wide nature of the Royal Navy shipbuilding project and that it demonstrates how intertwined Northern Ireland’s economy is with the rest of the UK.
By The Newsroom
Published 16th Dec 2022, 07:53 BST
Prime minister Rishi Sunak will be in Northern Ireland for the next two daysPrime minister Rishi Sunak will be in Northern Ireland for the next two days
Prime minister Rishi Sunak will be in Northern Ireland for the next two days

Speaking ahead of his visit, Mr Sunak said: “Northern Ireland – its people and its future – are rightly at the centre of our shipbuilding ambitions.

“And completing the next generation of our world-class Royal Navy Support Ships – to strengthen our security at sea and across the globe – could not have found a better home than in Belfast, once the biggest shipyard in the world, with its proud tradition of skill and expertise.

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“The thousands of high-value jobs and the skills that are gained from delivering it now will help to lay the foundations of prosperity for tomorrow.”

In November, the UK Ministry of Defence announced Team Resolute as its preferred bidder for a £1.6bn contract to develop and build the next generation of Royal Navy Solid Support Ships, which will provide global logistics and operational support to the Royal Navy.

The PM’s visit came on the same day Foreign Secretary James Cleverly held face-to-face talks with European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic to discuss the protocol deadlock.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Related topics:Rishi SunakNorthern IrelandRoyal NavyBelfast