Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has thanked the crew of a Royal Navy nuclear submarine after they completed the longest patrol ever undertaken by a Vanguard-class vessel. The submariners returned to Faslane naval base on the Clyde on Saturday after spending more than 205 days at sea.
Starmer boarded the submarine to personally express his gratitude, accompanied by Defence Secretary John Healey. The Prime Minister said: “As we face an increasingly volatile world, our nuclear deterrent is more important than ever. It was a privilege to be able to meet and thank those who are making sacrifices to protect our country every single day.”
The UK maintains a continuous at-sea deterrent, with at least one of its four Vanguard-class submarines—each capable of carrying Trident nuclear missiles—on patrol at all times. The Ministry of Defence confirmed that “significant programmes” are under way to renew the deterrent, with four new Dreadnought-class submarines expected to enter service in the 2030s.
Despite being in Scotland, Starmer did not undertake any political visits or meet Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, who is campaigning for the Scottish Parliament elections. Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay criticised the Prime Minister, accusing him of “skulking around a top-secret high-security submarine base” and avoiding the public.
The Ministry of Defence declined to comment on the length of submarine patrols, but submariners receive additional payments when patrols are extended. Photos released by Downing Street showed Starmer speaking with personnel on board the vessel.
