Having read the article about UK defence on your website [Government must secure the future of maritime to meet defence ambitions, warns Nautilus], I thought it was spot on about needing to secure the future of the Merchant Navy if the government wants a defence capability.
Can you imagine a UK-flagged ship being taken up from trade, only to find that none of the crew were from the UK and didn't fancy facing a war on minimum wages? STUFT indeed.
Rose King
- Read more about the role of the Merchant Navy in wartime in our feature Home truths about international defence
More letters
Support our call sign campaign
Please back our campaign to get the Radio Society of Great Britain to issue a new call sign for the radio society at Mariners' Park
Plymouth reunion 2026
Calling all Ancient Mariners who began their careers c.1970-75 in Plymouth at the then School of Navigation.
Inflation information request
What is the Union doing for the members to bring pay in line with the inflation we have had over the last five years, particularly in the offshore renewables sector?