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Only £200 million which is pocket change to the government these days. Yes, of course it will cost more but you know...
On the plus side it has four, yes four, union jacks/flags on display! Huzzah!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57293882
Was just about to add this to the Brexit thread but couldn't find it. They really know how to appeal to that core demographic
If I was on the board of the company that manufactures Tripe I'd really be eyeing up that re-launch date, best of British to one and all!
Presumably, the guy that did the wallpapering for Boris once made an airfix battleship so the contract will go to him.
Hmm looks a bit shite tbh,where’s the swimming pools and helicopter pads.Looks like it was modelled on a cross channel ferry.
To be built by Cammell Laird (probably) owned by an Isle of Man company that pays no UK taxes...
I only see 3 Union Jacks and an ensign. By the tibe it's built the UJ flag will need updating as Scotland would have left the Union
The helicopter pad is on the back of it. Gives you a better sense of scale.
Most likely an Italian Yard would win the contract.
Classic Johnson bullshit
May as well - after all, it only costs 4 days of the Brexit dividend we’re all enjoying…
Scummers.
I’m guessing that unlike the original, she won’t be fitted for conversion to a wartime hospital ship.
Random fact; my uncle has a framed thank you from the queen for rescuing someone that had become entangled in the engine room prop shaft of the original royal yatch. 🤷🏼♂️
I’m guessing that unlike the original, she won’t be fitted for conversion to a wartime hospital ship.
This one will double as a fisheries gunboat in an emergency.
Do the likely recipients (Will and Kate) actually want a Royal Yacht? I would suggest probably not.
Looks like Boris has got his eyes on likely venues to entertain his next mistress
That is about 1/15th the cost of Airforce One...
Brings a lump to your throat, proud to be British.
This one will double as a fisheries gunboat in an emergency.
Do the likely recipients (Will and Kate) actually want a Royal Yacht? I would suggest probably not.
Well if they are allowed to shoot foreign fisherman from it.....
Aren't the flags wrong? Shirley it should be flying the white ensign?
Doesn't matter anyway, it's underbudget by a factor of at least 3. Bezos wouldn't even use it as a tender to get to his yacht. And if it does get built, it'll be nailed together in Germany or Italy. Oh, and I doubt you'd get a Merlin on the back of it.
Yup, much less than other countries spend on "National" vehicles.
Plus £50M is coming from elsewhere if they want it.
But that aside, it is not a royal yacht , and using a ship to promote an island doesn't sound like the worst idea I've heard.
We've got plenty of money to spraff up the wall! 200million is roughly what Rashford had to Shane the government into paying to continue free school meals over the summer
Is it not a Naval vessel?
In which case it should be flying a white ensign, not Union Jack.
edit: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_ensign
I think it is flying the White Ensign at the stern. With a Union Jack on the jackstaff, and Union Flags at the mastheads.
A ship to promote the UK isn't necessarily a bad idea. Having scrapped our trade partnership with our nearest neighbours, we need new ones, even if they will involve unnecessary transport and in some cases expanding trade with regimes we disagree with.
In which case it should be flying a white ensign, not Union Jack.
Like the one at the back?
Just when I thought my dislike of Johnson could grow no more.
HATEFUL man. A vanity project. Garden Bridge anyone??
What’s the bloody point of it!?
Classic Johnson bullshit
Best one I heard was the tunnel from Gibraltar to Morocco.
I can’t remember that one being announced in the U.K. thou.
A ship to promote the UK isn’t necessarily a bad idea. Having scrapped our trade partnership with our nearest neighbours, we need new ones, even if they will involve unnecessary transport and in some cases expanding trade with regimes we disagree with.
Probably would have been worth starting working on it a bit early then tbh, how longs it gonna take to screw it together?
Probably would have been worth starting working on it a bit early then tbh, how longs it gonna take to screw it together?
The Italian yards can knockout 100,000 GT cruise liners in 12 months.
BAE will take 4 years according to the article. So allow 6.
But that aside, it is not a royal yacht , and using a ship to promote an island doesn’t sound like the worst idea I’ve heard
It was very much being reported as a new Royal Yatch by the Telegraph etc when the idea was floated at the start of May. I have a feeling the apparent lack of interest from the Royal Family has meant a change of tack by the govt and an emphasis on National Flagship
Lucky we haven’t a pressing need to impress people to get any trade deals.
I’m assuming behind the sleek lines there’s plenty of gun ports so we can achieve preferable trade terms.
when the idea was floated at the start of May
Liking your work there!
If I was on the board of the company that manufactures Tripe I’d really be eyeing up that re-launch date, best of British to one and all!
Tripe Marketing Board are all over it https://tripemarketingboard.co.uk/tripe-roll-could-take-on-greggs-at-their-own-game-says-tmb-chairman/
The new vessel would be used to promote British interests around the world - including hosting trade fairs and diplomatic meetings - as the UK seeks to build links and boost exports following Brexit.
They probably need to design the interior to impress arms dealers, far-right nationalists, oligarchs and slave-owning dictators then. Maybe get in the guy who did Putin's mansion.
The Tripe Roll arrives just in time for Lancashire Day, which is the one day in the county’s tripe calendar that is almost as big as World Tripe Day. Bigger than a traditional sausage roll, and without the pastry
Is this a parody? I can't work it out. What the hell is the tripe roll if it doesn't have pastry. It looks enormous.
I must be in a right grumpy, cynical mood this morning, but how the hell is sending a ship supposed to drum up trade with other countries? Do they really think people in far-flung lands are going to be so impressed by a floating symbol of British imperialism that they'll be falling over themselves to sign a trade deal with us? If they wanted to sign a trade deal, I'm sure they'd do it anyway, ship or not.
Also, the article said that it would be crewed by the Royal Navy. Aren't the RN short of sailors for their actual warships, without having to crew this thing as well.
Aren't most UK yards going to be busy with Type 26,type 31 and the fleet suport ships to be able to build it? Would be ironic if it ended up being built by the Dutch/Germans/Italians; the Telegraph readership would be apoplectic 😀.
I must be in a right grumpy, cynical mood this morning, but how the hell is sending a ship supposed to drum up trade with other countries?
Never heard of the Opium Wars? One our nation's finest hours!
A new boat and 40 new hospitals, I'm getting behind Brexit now.
Dont forget the tunnels to oh everywhere .
using a ship to promote an island doesn’t sound like the worst idea I’ve heard.
Yes it’s probably not the worst idea but it is still a phenomenally stupid one, strangely we’ve moved on from the 18th century when people were impressed by big boats and could waste three weeks to get to the other side of the world. There are very few capital cities which can be reached by sea (most capital cities in Europe, north and Central America Asia and Asia can’t) and we have embassies and ambos to smooze the locals. So we’re really going to be scraping around in it and it’s a waste of money.
andrewh
Free MemberThat is about 1/15th the cost of Airforce One…
Airforce One is an actual working vehicle. Well, two of them in fact. The president can run the country from on board in high security, while using it to usefully go from one place to another in their very big country and beyond.
Comparing it to this is nonsense.
Politically it is really astute though. Perfect culture wars pitch. It plays to both the Tory old guard voters and nostalgia nationalists generally. In the middle lots of people will not care. But the left leaning progressive classes (or most of us) will moan and mock and generally get wound up.
Tories can then point the finger and decry left/elite(etc) for disrespecting our great naval heritage, the memory of the DoE and a bold world vision ... The Labour party will then be stuck in limbo between the views of lots of its existing voters who will think it a stupid idea and voters who they want to win who will hear the Tory criticism if Labour oppose
So in that respect - well played Johnson - £200m of public money well spent
I think it's quite a good value way to project soft power. It's an easy way to move VIPs, security details, catering, briefing rooms etc around the world to where you want them. Much cheaper than a large embassy - most diplomatic efforts aren't very well resourced, the fact it is seen as 'glamorous' reflects the fact that they're successful in selling the image they want.
I'm happy to contribute my tax to this over a dodgy Matt Hancock contract/Virgin Health/G4S/Mitie any day.
It’s an easy way to move VIPs, security details, catering, briefing rooms etc around the world to where you want them.
more true in 1921 than 2021
I once attended a conference in the HMS queen elizabeth's hangar - certainly a great way to provide a secure area and project soft power. Whilst not quite the same scale I see how they can come up with this.
I'm not against the idea providing it's built by British shipbuilding, who desperately need constant work to maintain staffing levels. The cynic in me wonders if that if tendered and designed relatively quickly (i.e an adaption of an existing hull design), it would tide over a commercial yard like cammel laird until the FSS auxiliaries start construction in the mid 20's.
I imagine it'll never actually be used by the royals for pleasure cruises - that spin is probably to appeal to old tory voters.
The main problem is given the UK's history of naval procurement, I'd be amazed if it actually comes in on budget.
Ah, once again proud and strong Great Britian stands united to steam forwards at full ahead into the 1950's.
The rest of the world have moved on, we haven't........
The rest of the world is apparently fascinated by the Royal family and an invitation on board is in effect the same as an invite to Buckingham Palace. The old Royal Yacht paid for itself many, many, many times over in the trade deals etc that were struck on board. Delivering a version of "Buck House" to various places has enormous value and none of the difficulties of hosting the guests at the real palace. Whether or not the new one would carry the same kudos remains to be seen but it would be worth a shot IMO. 🤷♂️
SO, bascially our actual trade offering is soo bad we have to bribe other countries into doing business with us. Sounds like a good long term solution to me.