Simon Fell, the MP for Barrow and Furness, had today submitted the official application to get Barrow Royal Town status to the Cabinet Office for review by His Majesty the King.
Having launched the campaign in 2023, the MP for Barrow and Furness said that following Barrow’s celebration of 150 years of naval shipbuilding, it was more than time that Barrow received royal status.
The campaign has since garnered support from a long list of local stakeholders including but not limited to former Lord Lieutenant, BAE, Westmorland and Furness Council, Cando FM, the Rotary Club, as well as many local businesses, arts and community groups.
Mr. Fell wrote to the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, and the Cabinet Secretary back in December, asking for their support for the Royal Barrow campaign. In his letter, the MP for Barrow & Furness emphasised the town’s history and pivotal part it has played in the UK’s industrial and maritime achievements. The Prime Minister attested to the town’s ‘long and proud history of shipbuilding’ and its contribution to the ‘continued protection of our shores and those of our allies’.
As Barrow & Furness enters a new chapter with the AUKUS partnership, and with the town being the backbone for the delivery of the next generation on attack submarines for the US and Australia, it is time Barrow gets Royal recognition.
Commenting, Mr. Fell said:
“The support for this campaign from the public, and organisations from Barrow, across Furness, and far further afield too has been overwhelming. People recognise what a unique place Barrow is, and the role that it has played in the UK’s history, and have spoken passionately about why it deserves recognition.
“I am delighted to be able to put forward such a strong submission, backed by local people who are proud about the place they call home. Now that the formal submission for the Royal Barrow campaign has officially been put in, I wait with baited breath to hear the verdict from the Cabinet Office and His Majesty the King.
“Barrow is on the precipice of something important, and on the back of Team Barrow and AUKUS, it is the right time to seek Royal Town status and get the recognition that Barrow deserves for the invaluable security it has provided to both the UK and our allies around the world.”
