Another example of Gordon Brown saying one thing (that we will ensure our forces get all the equipment and resources they need) and then enacting the polar opposite,

Does he think we are stupid?

Edwin Thornber, Bucharest,

"Tied up" is the correct terminology, but surely that is not the issue.

Do we need a navy or don't we? If the proposed cuts are implemented we will not have anything more than a coastal defence force. Perhaps that is sufficient, I don't know, but we will soon find out.

Andrew Williams, roquefort les Pins, France

Appalling reading: for how long is this suffered to continue?

It is nothing short of scandalous that first the government commits UK forces to operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, but then uses costs arising from these as an excuse not to provide the funding for crucially needed new equipment.

The RN only operates 8 air defence destroyers of the 1960s design plus17 frigates dating back to the turn of the 1980s and 1990s, two hopelessly outdated and tiny aircraft carriers, also designed in the 1960s.

This is the backbone of the surface fleet, but it is outdated and insignificant in numbers.

Britain is not a major naval power and yet Mr. Brown desires to cut the fleet even more

If he wants a navy that is both good and cheap, he will need two of them: one is good and the other one cheap.

I look forward to interesting conversations with Labour campaingers ahead of the next general election.

Gary, Hastings, Hastings, East Sussex

This'll be the same Royal navy that has more than twice as many (fully paid up) Admirals as ships these days, is it?
...and to think we used to laugh at dictators like Idi Amin and the like !!!
Welcome to the BrownBanana Republic of Britain !!!

Hamish Morrison, Inverness, Scotland

thinking about joining the RNR in 2-3 years time with the hope to eventually join the RN proper, news like this really is disheartening...

D Molloy, London, UK

every year our fleet gets less and less, soon we will not be a major ocean going fleet infact were about borderline now.
The french fleet now has more vessel than us thats not happen in the last 200 odd years we rank now about number 8 or 9 in the worlds top navies USA Russia and china japan being ahead of us.

Its all well and good bringing in these multirole type 45's and what have you but its one ship it cant be in 3 places at once, in a few years argentina may cease her chance to try and regain the falklands what then will we send a stongly worded letter to the ambassador that wont shuv much wieght.

I applied to the RN but found that what you acctually get is nothing out of it so im applying to the merchant navy atleast il have something to do.

BS, Basildon, Essex

someoneplease ask the governement a simple question: can we afford these wars? yes or no please

peter codner, devizes, england

Gut Liam - quite correct - we often say secured alongside indicating not just head ropes and stern ropes but also fore and aft springs and, if it gets a little windy, we can always double up.

But, yes, many thanks to the likes of T Blair, G Brown, D Browne, J Reid and the rest of the motley mob over the last decade, and before that Major and his crew, who have deliberately decimated the Royal Navy to the point where we do not have enough frigates and destroyers to form a Squadron let alone a Fleet and we are incapable of mounting any operations. No wonder the rest of the world now treats us with more than a degree of contempt and even ignore us.

Kenneth Armitage, Suffolk, England

What the hell is our government doing?! We are fighting a war, defence inflation and costs are rising and we're CUTTING the budget?!
I have the feeling that I would vote for a party that would increase defence spending to adequately fund existing commitments, even though I'm a Labour man.
I'm fed up with Brown, let's have a radical alternative in Alan Milburn and the Blairites.

Richard, Norwich,

TIED UP?!!!
The Timesonline Stile Guide>Armed Forces>Royal Navy mentions : 'Moored or made fast, vessels are never tied up.'

Tied up is a grocers expression, brown paper and string. When a ship is placed into reserve and parcelled up, it is 'cocooned' ( Dockyard maties sandwiches have been found snug inside gun cocoons ! )

Gut Liam, Hertford, England

Alfred the Great and succeeding generations of Fathers of the English Navy are rolling over in their graves!

Thank you Tony, Gordon, and New Labour, for bringing to an end a nation that had proudly sent they men down to the sea in ships.

Hang your collective heads in shame!

Bob Evans, Anaheim, California