Which historic Town-class names should return

If another town or city could give its name to a Royal Navy cruiser or Type 26 frigate, which should it be?

Gloucester is the strongest choice because of the name's exceptional battle honours, with Southampton, Liverpool, and Cardiff also deserving consideration.

The audience naming question returns during the review of individual ships and their battle honours. Gloucester has the strongest claim because generations of that name accumulated an exceptional operational record, while the Town-class ship was lost off Crete. Southampton and Liverpool also appear among the conspicuous omissions, with Cardiff offered as another sensible addition. A surviving museum ship can dominate public memory even when other names represent longer or richer service traditions.