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.
The decision prompted criticism from a former navy officer and two former defence secretaries, who accused the government of trying to avoid a backlash from the French.
Chris Parry told Times Radio: “This is just craven and contemptible surrender to, I’m afraid, the ideology being pushed by our government. It seeks to erase our history and anything we need to be proud of. I don’t see the French renaming the Gare d’Austerlitz to avoid upsetting the Germans.”
He added: ‘This is just craven political correctness and ideology gone mad.”
Grant Shapps, the Conservative former defence secretary, said: “Under Labour, woke nonsense is being put ahead of tradition and our armed forces’ proud heritage.”
His successor, Ben Wallace, said: “We’re very close to the French. The French are one of our strongest allies. They don’t get put off by names like that … that shows a very pathetic grasp of foreign policy and relationships.
“If [not upsetting the French] is the actual reason it’s been renamed, then I would be concerned that it shows we’re focusing on superficial nonsense rather than rebuilding our defence.”
The prime minister’s spokesperson said the decision to change the name of the ship was taken on the recommendation of the navy’s badging committee, but could not say whether anyone in No 10 had played a role in it.
Asked, however, whether the prime minister was proud of the English army’s victory at Agincourt, his spokesperson said: “Absolutely – and also proud of our role in the second world war.”
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