Why town names still create political support for warships

Do town and city names still help build public support for Royal Navy ships despite demographic change?

Yes; local attachment becomes politically visible when a namesake ship is threatened or its name is taken away.

Town and city names can sustain political links between a navy and local communities. Football affiliations add another source of attachment. Residents who show little interest in obtaining a namesake ship can react strongly when an existing name is removed. A local MP would then face complaints over the loss of something the community regarded as its own. The argument concerns the attachment formed by an established association, even when that attachment was previously quiet.