Are the Queen Elizabeth-class carriers so untouchable that any politician trying to remove them would end their career?
Short answerNo. Their importance can make cuts politically damaging, but no ship class is permanently protected from a government decision.
NotesNo ship class is immune from political cuts. The rapid change in the strategic climate after the 2010 defence review made recent reductions difficult for the Conservatives to defend at the next election. That reversal shows how quickly the political cost of a decision can rise. It still does not create a permanent guarantee for the Queen Elizabeth-class carriers.