yesss.................... well ................................ "A source said: “One carrier will support Nato in the North Atlantic. Where else are you going to put the other? "
It'll be laid up in "readiness" at Portsmouth - the RN doesn't have the money nor the people to keep two in operation at once. Nor can it afford to send half the active navy out east to support "a floating trade fair" which was also a major role mentioned in the actual Times report.
And we all remember what happened the last time the UK sent a major warship (or two) to Singapore to "confront" a large Eastern power - it did not end well...................
My money is on "Another option is to base a smaller Royal Navy warship in the region, such as a frigate."