Wither the Type 26 ? – the “progress” on the Scottish Indpendence referendum raised serious concerns about the future of the Type 26 Frigate programme.   With the referendum set down for later in  2014, and with Scottish shipyards pressing for work, now that the Type 45 Destroyer programme in nearly at an end, the Type 26 should slot into the gap.    But can a “British” Government really commit to a major shipbuilding programme running into the late 2020’s in what by then could be a foreign country ?   Would a Westminster Parliament provide the funding required ?

Surely the answer would be to start the programme off building the Type 26 Frigates at Portsmouth, and thus secure the future of this “English” shipyard and trust that the newly independent Scottish Government, should it come into existence, find work for the Scottish shipyards on the Clyde.