'Britain's defence is shameful, embarrassing and humiliating - something is rotten with the state of our Navy,' Jacob Rees-Mogg says

But now the reduction we've seen is extraordinary. In 1945, Well, I accept that's the end of the war. There were 1400 ships and 700,000 personnel.

By 1990, there's a drop to 160 ships and 63,000 personnel. And now it's pretty much halved again in terms of personnel and ships even more so. Some 33,000 people, 63 ships.

And this has had a terrible effect on our ability to project power, because not only is it the number of ships, it's also the powerful ships.

So 240 destroyers, frigates and escort ships in 1939 - down to 30 in 2010, 2025, we have 13 destroyers, frigates and escort ships.

What are we left with now? What is the 2026 fleet? Two aircraft carriers, neither of which is currently in action. Six destroyers. Seven frigates. Six attack submarines, of which I believe not one is in service at the moment.

Eight offshore patrol vehicles and three survey ships and icebreakers.

Alfred the Great is credited with establishing the Navy in 897 in response to Danish raids when he had boats that were oared by 60 men.

Nowadays, we'd be quite pleased if we had a boat oared by 60 men. It might be more than we currently have that is operational, and this is absolutely shameful.

The whole of our island story has depended on us being able to defend ourselves, to stop people invading.

To have a navy that could keep the coastline safe. All our great figures in history. Edward III, Henry V reinvigorates the navy. Henry VIII is famed for establishing the Royal Navy.

Elizabeth. Her victory over the Armada.

Then you go through to the great victory of all time. Trafalgar in 1805, all dependent on the United Kingdom as it had become by 1805 - England in earlier cases - having a great navy.

And now what do we have? We have a handful of ships, most of which seem to be under almost constant repair. And who is responsible?

Well, absolutely, the politicians are responsible, and I must accept my share of blame for that, because I supported Conservative Governments that saw the Navy continue to decline.

But it's not just the politicians, it's the Ministry of Defence, it's the administrators. It's those in charge. It may even be the companies getting orders in procurement processes.

Something is rotten with the state of our Navy that we have had to allow the French to go and protect Cyprus, with which we have a treaty obligation to provide.

The defence is shameful. It's embarrassing. It's humiliating.

It just is not the position that this great island nation should be in, when our whole history is dependent on being able to show power across the seas.

And now we have a sort of semi pacifist Government that promises spending on defence but fails to deliver.

So the prospect of improving is limited, but the need for it to improve is essential to the safety.

The well-being of our nation and the safety of the nation is the first duty of any Government as ever.

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