Defence secretary denies scrapping navy vessels to cut costs is ‘black day’

John Healey says some vessels had in effect been retired already but Tories claim UK’s military strength will be affected

The defence secretary, John Healey, has announced he will scrap £500m of British navy vessels as part of cost-saving measures in what was described as a “black day” for the new government.

Two former Royal Navy flagships, a frigate and two support tankers will be decommissioned, with the savings reinvested into the defence budget. Healey blamed the move on a “dire inheritance” left by the previous Tory administration.