No 10 accused of trying not to upset French by renaming HMS Agincourt
No 10 accused of trying not to upset French by renaming HMS Agincourt
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Decision to change name of new submarine to HMS Achilles is ‘craven political correctness’, says ex-navy officer. Downing Street has defended the government’s decision to change the name of a new attack submarine from HMS Agincourt to HMS Achilles, after critics accused ministers of trying not to upset the French.
A No 10 spokesperson called the decision to change the planned name of the vessel “appropriate and fitting”, despite criticism that ministers were being “craven”. Officials say the name Achilles had been chosen in part to pay tribute to an earlier ship of the same name.
The spokesperson said: “HMS Achilles received battle honours during the second world war. So this name is particularly appropriate this year as we mark the VE and VJ Day 80th anniversaries.”. They added: “An earlier HMS Achilles was laid down 120 years ago this year, in 1905, and the name was proposed by the Royal Navy ships names and badging committee and approved by his majesty the king. Achilles is a perfectly valid name for a ship.”.
The comments came after the navy announced on Sunday night that the Astute-class attack submarine, which is under construction, would be named Achilles rather than the planned name of Agincourt, the site of Henry V’s 1415 victory over the numerically superior French forces of Charles VI.
