IT SEEMS Tory MPs are on another planet after calling for Boris Johnson to back new Royal Yacht Britannia as memorial to Prince Philip, despite a national pandemic economic crisis and rising poverty.
The Sunday Telegraph reported Sunday that MPs, Cabinet ministers, businessmen and a former captain of Britannia are backing calls for the successor to be named HMY The Duke of Edinburgh as a sister vessel to aircraft carriers Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales.
Any announcement could be tied to the Queen’s diamond jubilee next year, the minister said, adding: “A ship would be a very fitting way of commemorating him.”
The minister said: “Britannia was built to be a hospital ship as well as a royal yacht. Building a vast pleasure cruiser is not something that anyone is going to support.”
“But having a symbol of the nation that can travel the world, be used by the Royal family and have another sensible purpose such as helping young people is a better scheme. It could also be a flagship for reinvigorated British shipbuilding.”
The Royal Yacht Britannia was decommissioned under Tony Blair in 1997.
Number 10 sources said it was a “nice idea” but they would have to consider the country’s wider shipbuilding plans first.
ARE THEY MAD?
Many on Twitter rubbished the idea – Labour supporter Freddie said: “I do not support spending £190 million on a new Royal Yacht named HMY Duke of Edinburgh when the Government says we can’t afford to feed hungry children.”
I do not support spending £190 million on a new Royal Yacht named HMY Duke of Edinburgh when the Government says we can't afford to feed hungry children.
— Freddie (@FreddieBailey96) April 11, 2021
Teaching Union Vice President Dan wrote: “I do not support spending £190million on a new Royal Yacht named HMY Duke of Edinburgh. Not when it would cost substantially less (c.£117million), to provide Free School Meals through the summer. That is where our money should go. Child poverty is the key issue of our time.”
I do not support spending £190million on a new Royal Yacht named HMY Duke of Edinburgh.
Not when it would cost substantially less (c.£117million), to provide Free School Meals through the summer.
That is where our money should go.
Child poverty is the key issue of our time.
— Daniel Kebede (@DanielKebedeNEU) April 11, 2021
“Imagine what we’d say about another country that had 1,300 foodbanks but were considering building a Royal Yacht” said Tim Burgess of the rock band The Charlatans.
Imagine what we’d say about another country that had 1,300 foodbanks but were considering building a Royal Yacht ?♂️
— Tim Burgess (@Tim_Burgess) April 11, 2021
Loz said: “Apparently the tories are going to spend £190m of our money on a new Royal Yacht, they’re dedicating it to #PrincePhilip the English electorate doff their caps and turn a blind eye to this tory profligacy, whilst at the same time sitting in judgement on the poor, utter C***S..
Apparently the tories are going to spend £190m of our money on a new Royal Yacht, they're dedicating it to #PrincePhilip the English electorate doff their caps and turn a blind eye to this tory profligacy, whilst at the same time sitting in judgement on the poor, utter C***S..
— Loz Argyle ⚓ (@ArgyleLoz) April 11, 2021
David Osland joked: “Instead of building a new royal yacht, why not buy Jeffrey Epstein’s old one secondhand? Prince Andrew can vouch for how nice it is.”
https://twitter.com/David__Osland/status/1381229130654580739
What do YOU think? Should Britain build a £190m boat for the Windsors?