“Why have I brought you here?” asked the leader of the opposition during a public appearance aboard the HMS Wellington, a decommissioned Grimsby-class second world war sloop moored on the Thames for nearly 80 years.
Events Aboard the HMS Wellington
The gathering on the historic warship featured introductory remarks from shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge, whom the speaker described as Lieutenant “Steady as she goes, chaps and chapesses.” During the outing, discussions touched upon the Britannia Shield, which the speaker noted was conceptualized by Cartlidge while preparing for a speech at the party conference. The event also included commentary regarding border controls implemented by Shabana Mahmood, alongside remarks concerning the whereabouts of the prime minister in Antigua for the Commonwealth heads of government meeting.
Did You Know? The HMS Wellington is a decommissioned Grimsby-class sloop from the second world war that has been moored on the Thames for the best part of 80 years, serving as the venue for this opposition event.
Opposition leader rejects European Union regulatory alignment
During the session, the opposition leader addressed international trade and foreign policy matters, stating absolute opposition to any form of dynamic alignment with the European Union on food products and describing regulatory alignment as a red line. Remarks also turned to historical accountability regarding Britain’s part in the slave trade, where the speaker asserted that saying sorry represents weakness and that countries need to move on from centuries-old history. Meanwhile, separate international developments unfolded as European supermarkets faced disruptions, with dozens of shops across seven countries—including around 40 Delhaize supermarkets in Belgium and Luxembourg, alongside locations in Sweden, Ireland, the Netherlands, Estonia, and Finland—were hit by a cyber-attack affecting refrigerators and freezers.
Writers prepare for December year in review event
Looking ahead to scheduled discussions, John Crace and Pippa Crerar are set to join fellow writers for a year-in-review event examining stories from Westminster and beyond, scheduled for Tuesday 1 December.
Historic Thames ship hosts political event
What vessel hosted the political event?
The gathering took place aboard the HMS Wellington, a decommissioned Grimsby-class sloop from the second world war that has been moored on the Thames for nearly 80 years.
Who introduced the opposition leader at the venue?
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge delivered a brief introduction before the leader of the opposition took over the helm during the public outing.
What upcoming event is scheduled for December?
John Crace and Pippa Crerar are scheduled to join fellow writers on Tuesday 1 December for a year-in-review event examining major stories from Westminster and beyond.