Gove's Royal yacht proposal in full

Nicholas

It's a good idea and a fitting one for the Head of the Commonwealth. In light of this Clegg looks petty and mean-minded - surprise, surprise.

If he still objects on "social democrat" grounds I hope that we shall see him travelling to official functions in a self-driven electric car in his capacity as Deputy PM. No hypocrisy, eh, Clegg?

Chris lancashire

Mr Gove would be better employed working out how to save some more money off his Education budget.

Jez

My wife has just summed up the mood of the masses; "no one's got any money and everyone's losing their jobs- and the governments going to buy the Queen a new bloody Yacht?!!"

When my wife very, very rarely speaks about politics- or any state of the nation current affairs to be honest, she does talk sense.

If you'd want to chat about Celebrity Big Brother, then that's a different matter.

Jeremy

James Forsyth:

"Willetts says that ‘The proposed ship, which will be privately funded with no government subsidy, is to be made available for trade and business events’ as well as for scientific and educational work."

I think this is an excellent idea. And HM The Queen's Diamond Jubilee would be the perfect occasion on which to present her with it. I feel sure that the gift would make her very happy, and that it would also be an excellent way of expressing the gratitude of the nation for her decades of service.

Peter From Maidstone

Clegg is unfit to enter Her Majesty's Parliament. He has done nothing for the nation, nothing at all, and is in the pay of the EU. His opinions should be considered corrupt as a matter of course, including his view on the excellent idea of a Royal Yacht. I would certainly subscribe to the idea.

Holly ......

Queen Elizabeth II-The Diamond Jubilee IS an excellent name for a yacht...Privately funded, as always INTENDED by the politicians.

Yet another 'scoop' by the astute Guardian journo's.

A Canadian business consortium has already offered a substantial amount, so where are our's?

When will we see a queen's diamond jubilee again?
Frickin' kings from here to kingdom come FGS.

Russell

If the government can still afford to pay housing benefit to hundreds of thousands (possibly millions) of people up to £400 per week, many being asylum seekers failed or otherwise who started their journey in Italy or Greece, and illegal immigrants who can't be deported, and spongers maximising their lifestyle at others expense, surely a Royal Yacht like the old Brittania used to entertain heads of state and business people from abroad makes sense.
We are the 6th largest economy in the world still.

George Shepherd

Gove needs to keep focused on school reform - he seems to have given up the ghost a bit with all his "it's going to take 10 years" defeatist nonsense

#privatisetheroyals

lescam

After all her years of service to this country, without ever putting a foot wrong since 1952, the very least the country can do for the Queen is to mark her Jubilee with a generous gift. I too think a new yacht an excellent idea.

There will always be those mean-minded individuals carping and grumbling on the sidelines (not just about a royal yacht, but the cost of the Olympics as well) but they should be ignored. We owe HM that much, for keeping the vow made long ago, when she was 21; "I vow that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service". More than can be said about any politician, especially the present corrupt bunch.

Ostrich (occasionally)

Jez 16th, 3:54pm

You didn't read the article, then?

Barbara

I can understand people wanting to mark the jubilee with something, but this is not the way to do it. We have people in this country in need of jobs and if business has money to spare it should be investing in new labour for export markets. We as a nation respect the Queen of that there is no doubt, but this will stretch people's respect a bit far. Its not the time. There a lot things and questions to be asked, who will maintain the ship, the taxpayer? If so then the country will pay towards it. No it's wrong and it's people playing towards gongs and the like, it's not the time at all while the country as so much debt to repay, and not lets forget we have families on the breadline in this country this will fly in their face and the contempt they will feel. Riots have already happened here, from discontented people, this will flag that discontent more.

Hexhamgeezer

Great Idea.

"I nyame thyis shyip, the Pryincyess of Hyearts"

Austin Barry

Unhappily, melancholic actuarial calculations suggest that the principal beneficiaries of the yacht would not be the Queen, but the jug-eared “Defender of All Faiths” and his honking Consort.

Let’s pass on this idea.

Kittler

The Windsor's are our senior aristocrats and of course deserve a yacht. But what are we to gift our junior ones, the Dukes, Marquesses, Earls and Barons.
Just the hereditary nobles though, who give such service and bring glory to our nation.

disenfranchised

as the old joke used to go: yer poor old grandpa's now 85? blimey, best you don't go buying him any long playing records!
so how old is the queen, exactly? hmm, thought so.....

andrew

I am ready to write a cheque towards this as soon as someone has the stones to act. A long life of public service, through thick and thin.

fedz

Michael Gove is having a laugh...isn't he?

disenfranchised

@russell....

no longer, old dear. that's now brazil.....

Erica Blair

Why isn't Gove in prison for

1. Staying in a luxury hotel with his family and charging it to the taxpayers?

2. Filling his second home with luxury goods bought from Cameron'd mother-in-law's shop and charging it to the taxpayers?

F. Hugh Eveleigh

An excellent idea and one which has been around for a little time but not made formal. Some intemperates, like Mr Clegg and those who do not read the proposal in full, will scream and shout 'no' but in fact if this were funded as suggested, there is no government cost as Mr Gove made pains tp point out. It would be a wonderful earner for Britain abroad - as was Britannia - and the Queen's use of it would be, in fact, relatively small when compared to the trade and other uses it might have. Put me down for a donation immediately.

Sean Haffey

IIRC, the previous royal yacht was invaluable as a business and diplomatic tool and consequently would be a great *investment*.

mick

just as well dodgy dave knocked this back if agreed the boat would probably built anywhere but in the uk

Philip Walker

Jez: You are Peter Bone, and I claim my five pounds.

Jon stack

Excellent idea from the boy Gove. Of course it should be built and fitted out in the UK using UK based suppliers only. Yes, creating British jobs for British workers: remember that? Perhaps the Guardian has forgotten about job creation....

Peter From Maidstone

Just before the Labour Government spitefully took the Royal Yacht away from Her Majesty the question of its replacement was discussed. It was thought that it might cost £80 million with running costs of £10 million a year.

I am sure that the population of England would be proud to spend 20p a year each on supporting the Royal Yacht, and about £1.50 each on building a new Yacht.

The EU costs us £65 BILLION a year. The cost to us of Parliament is £500 MILLION a year. I'd rather not pay for either and pay for a Royal Yacht.

I'd certainly contribute £10 for my family, and £1.20 a year thereafter.

James

We should get rid of the monarchy. It creates a social hierarchy based on class. Consequently certain people are looked down on as common just because they have a certain accent and background. This lowers their self esteem and therefore affects social mobility. The monarchy divides society along class lines - a lot of people won't hang around with other people because they think they are above them. Just because people enjoy royal weddings and jubilee does not mean they support the monarchy - it just means they enjoy a get together and a party - and also a day off. We would have these get togethers more often under a republic and we wouldn't have to wait for our betters to tell us when we can celebrate.

Rob Williamson

It will be built in Italy, as was Cunard's 'Queen Elizabeth'.

Dimoto

Austin Barry - spot on the money again !

So Charlie boy and Anne back the idea, now there's a surprise. For the nation's good, Charlie should be rendered as immobile as possible.

Anyone considered how this vessel will be built before the jubilee ? I think we are looking at about six years, especially if it's to be "state of the art".

EC

Why not get HMS Victory out of dry dock? It's already had plenty of money spent on it so it should be seaworthy. Also it is bristling with enough cannon to deter even the most determined Somali pirates.

FF

I guess if it's a business proposition, it doesn't really count as a "gift from the nation". If it's the former then it's a question of "why not, but no big deal". If you want to send a gift then make it a gift. But cut out the disingenuous nonsense about no taxpayer funding - that's just tacky.

Pot Head

Brenda has FIVE palaces and the "public" want to buy her a £60M yacht? We have become ZIMBABWE (via Old_Holborn )

Cynic

If it came to a choice between a Royal Yacht (which can, like Britannia, be used for overseas trade missions) and contributing more money to the EU and the IMF (or, for that matter, overseas aid) then the former would win hands down. We could even place the order with our own ship-fitting companies, thus additionally benefiting the economy.

anyfool

What a sad deceitful piece of dung.Clegg knew that it was part of the plan to have this paid for and run with private money.
This country deserves all it gets when it keeps electing garbage like Clegg and Milliband, Cameron is not much better.

Trev

Built by who?

peter stubbs

if we sell all the presents the royals get when they go on there trips that should pay for it who will pay for the upkeep and people to run it, us of course , but that will only be several million a year

Christopher Brown

A royal yacht are you joking,mind you there is an italian sea captain looking for another job. Perhaps he should apply then he sail away with the whole royal family I suggest to davy jones locker. So much for all in this together.

Arblaster

You seem to have missed out this letter from Gove...
"My suggestion would be a gift from the nation to her majesty; thinking about David Willetts's excellent suggestion of a royal yacht, and something tangible to commemorate this momentous occasion......"
More importantly,
Gove ends his letter by suggesting that if insufficient taxpayer funds are available a private donation could be sought, before making a naked departmental bid for every schoolchild or school to be given a gift as a permanent reminder of the event. Gove's office confirmed the authenticity of the letter.....
Which part of the phrase 'A gift from the nation" do you not understand?

Nicholas

Funny post James. Of course Baroness Ashton is just like you and me, eh? The "social hierarchy" of an aristocratic elite or political elite? I love it when millionaire career politicians (like Clegg) start talking about the unfairness of a "social hierarchy".

Peter From Maidstone

Arblaster, the Nation is NOT the Government. A gift from the Nation is not a gift from the Government. In any case all Government money is OUR money. I would much rather it spent on a Royal Yacht most other pet projects of the Con-Lib-Lab monster.

christopher brown

If the royal family want a gift from the nation may I suggest a guillatine now that I would put money to I would even offer to chop all there heads off free

Leonard of Quirm

Under the present economic circumstances this is a really really dumb idea, and it would be God's gift to the Republican cause.

Andrew SW18

All very well, until the naming ceremony.

Do we get "Emirates Britannia" or "Virgin Queen"?

Nicholas

I see this thread has brought out all the nasty republican tossers.

Arblaster

Peter From Maidstone, can you define, therefore what Gove meant by 'a gift from the nation'? And bear in mind he qualified his stupid uttering with this: "...if insufficient taxpayer funds are available a private donation could be sought".
So he was firstly assuming that taxpayer's money could be wasted on this frivolous nonsense vanity-statement project.

Jez

Ostrich, et al, etc etc.....

I have read the article.

Read my comment.

Jez

Trev; Not here i bet.

David Lindsay

An admirable use of public money to stimulate the economy. If necessary, fighting the European Commission for the right to insist on such a workforce would be a most welcome reassertion of our sovereign right to create millions more such jobs.

Paul Dyer

What a brilliant idea!!! In a time with so much doom and Gloom, We need a ray of light to give us hope and Our amazing Queen does us all so proud. I wish some one would publish how much revenue she brings to our economy through tourism and state affairs! I am convinced it would out way what it costs to maintain OUR HERITAGE AND PRIDE!!! I would gladly donate to such a proud project!! ONE PROUD BRIT!!!!!

Liz Revell

To build a new ship requires lots of workers.....therefore it creates jobs for those in the shipyards in the North and in Scotland.......their new jobs create income for the rest of the country......what's wrong with that. ?

Fergus Pickering

James, do you really suppose that the French and the Yanks do not have hierarchies based on class. Have you ever heard the expression 'trailer trash'? The nearest thing to a classless society that I know is Australia but even there not all Australians are equal. Class divisions are as natural as breathing.

Sir Everard Digby

May I suggest an alternative? Don't buy a yacht,get a prison hulk,relocate the inmates from the House of Commons there and cast them adrift. I am ready to contribute.

That would be a proper gift to the nation

Ann Lavery

This would be a wonderful compliment to our Queen and her incredible Consort, who have NEVER let us down, and have brought countless benefits to this country.
I hope that those foreign billionaires living here in safety, virtually tax free on their birth country's money, will contribute generously.
It would be a symbol of British pride, demonstrating our political stability, our technical and design excellence, and our maritime traditions all over the globe. It could be a great ambassador for our country, and a heartfelt thank you to our Queen.

Peter From Maidstone

Arblaster, you are entitled to your opinion, but it is only your opinion. You do not speak for the nation so please don't pretend that you do. I would be very happy to sign any petition, and donate to any subscription, which had the aim of providing a Royal Yacht, and I am sure that a great many others would do so to, especially if it was supported by the Press.

alexsandr

there is a spare ship in Giglio. May need some rennovation tho!

Jez

Hi Liz revell,

Cost is the factor.

Why would the government invest in re-launching an industry that has been wound down to such an extent. Many of the prospective tradesmen that would have taken forward the once highly sought after skills that are now dying are in reality pot smoking layabouts, Jeremy Kyle Neets on sink estates adjacent to the derelict shipyards.

Jez

The foot print is still there. The dry docks would need minimum investment (i used to work on these abroad once).... alas, what the hell would Eton type City lackies want to do with that (the govenment).

Cost;

Total investment- eventual return- H&S- Unions?- skills shortage- continuity of orders- high overheads compared to the third world shipyards.

or....

Continuation of benefits for unemployed in these regions.

The latter would be much cheaper with the present mentality from Westminster.

If we could actually get someone to actually give a damn about the place, then maybe a radical approach could be sought.

We're sat on hundreds of years worth of coal- yet we import..... and the majority of power stations are coal burners.

All about quick money making and sod the rest mentality.

Leonard of Quirm

I cculd take all this a bit more seriously if it were not for the absurd ideas for a new royal yacht being hawked by the likes of the Daily Mail. I have never seen such a committee designed camel of a ship in all my life. What is needed is a decent DESIGN COMPETITION to come up with a sensible proposal, not a collection of half-baked ideas slung together ....

Dimoto

Wasn't the elaborate "Royal barge", being constructed especially for the "River pageant", a gift from the nation to Elizabeth II ?

And Charlie could safely be allowed to mess about in that one later - providing he doesn't venture beyond the shallow end.

Arblaster

I quote Paul Dyer, above;
"I wish some one would publish how much revenue she brings to our economy through tourism and state affairs!"

I could not agree more. I wonder why these figures are not published? Could it be that the total doesn't amount to as much as hardened royalists wish to believe? If it did, I'd have thought we would have the figures on scrolls nailed to a tree in every parish. I would dearly love to see a balance-sheet.
Incidentally, you'd better start laying the keel straight away. Otherwise Gove's present from Brenda's subjects might be given posthumously. I don't think it'll be sliding down the sluices before the olympics.
Still, it won't be wasted; I expect all the royal hangers-on will make good use of a giant boat to play in; 'cos they're worth it'.....

Jacques Cartier

It would be fine to have a Royal Yacht, as long as Francesco Schettino is the captain.

Leonard of Quirm

Design and build would probably take two years minimum.

Peter From Maidstone

I see the slimy Huhne was the one who tried to undermine Gove. Why is he allowed in Parliament, let alone Government?

sirsimon

I would be happy to contribute to this cause, much better than the EU.

I dont see why people are moaning, it wont cost taxpayers a penny and the Queen deserves it.

Although, as usual, it has brought some wicked republicans here, such as Christopher Brown.

Surely a project this size will bring benefits financially.

Arblaster

Sirsimon,(I quote)
"Iwould be happy to contribute to this cause, much better than the EU.
I dont see why people are moaning, it wont cost taxpayers a penny and the Queen deserves it.
Surely a project this size will bring benefits financially."
Well you can cough up for me and have my share of the kudos, sirsimon. And in return alow me to fill in your ignorance somewhat by suggesting that 'people are moaning' because at first they were told they would have to pay to buy this pair of pensioners a boat, at a time of financial dire straights. Then when that received the opprobrium it deserved, they were told that a charitable trust fund would be set up to raise money to pay for the royal play-toy.
Firstly, I question why an 85 year old woman and her 90 year old bloke want or need an £80-million yacht.
Secondly, why is a charity needed? Could it be that rich brown-nosers will be able to claim tax-deduction on their share, as well as have their corporate logo beslommered on the bow?
So who will be paying then?
It reaches the height of gredulity that any sane person could suggestthat this woman, one of the richest in the world, needs her 'subjects' to cough up for another useless trinket.
Yor final statement is one of hope to justify this potty and evil scheme, and not based on fact.

Observer2012

@Arbalaster: did you at any point actually READ and UNDERSTAND the original article? "the people" were NEVER going to 'have to pay' Your post is typical of the ignorant ranting so beloved of "republicans' who can't see further than their hatred of the Windsors - witness the anti-British comments on Iranian media websites for example

Arblaster

Observer2012
@Arbalaster: did you at any point actually READ and UNDERSTAND the original article? You really ought not be in denial of the facts!
I read the original article, perhaps you should, too. I do not mean James Forsyth's re-hash; I quote what Gove actually and clearly stated, "My suggestion would be a gift from the nation to her majesty".
Just which element of this statement do you find confusing? The letter in which the gormless Gove wrote this was declared to be genuine by his own office, so if you deny this, you are calling him a liar, not me.
He changed it later, presumably when somebody of greater intelligence read it back to him, to read that it might better be done by private donations. (But why via a charity? Answer me that. Please do not evade the question!)

My opinions of the Windsor Firm, are I agree, somewhat less forehead-knuckling than your's.
But you really ought not be in denial of the facts; it helps your argument not one jot!

Downtown

Oh this kneejerk nonsense where people forever put this country down. Why can't we be proud of ourselves and maybe have an informed debate about something without whining about it? Withholding judgment until actually having read the subject article would be a good start.

Some politician says something designed to make someone else look stupid and everyone is jumping on the bandwagon and repeating it without further thought.

Christopher Starr

Is there any way for ordinary people who would like to help give the queen a new royal yacht to chip in ?

Robert Tucker

Her Majesty has served the United Kingdom for 60 years..One pleasure she had was her time on the Royal Yatch Britannia where she escaped from the media hype...when the Labour Government, in a fit of Pique, decided it must go to cut costs this facility was denied Her Majesty..This new proposal is waranted as a reward for her long and distiguished service to this country.We all knwo about the cynics who consider The Royal Yatch a luxury ..well if anyone has visited Britania in Edinbirgh they will soon find out it was no Luxury. She has earned this poposed New Royal Yatch as a gift from the Nation.Never mind about what The School prefect Clegg has to say.he does have to say something I suppose but ignore it...God Save The Queen..