Britannia’s successor

SIR – Sir John Major’s criticism of HMY Britannia’s replacement on the grounds that the money could be better spent on foreign aid (report, July 14) represents a major U-turn, given that his government fought to build a new royal yacht in the run up to the 1997 general election.

On February 11 1997 he told Parliament: “I regard [the royal yacht] as an important national asset that plays an important role in winning business for Britain abroad. I believe that the project is an investment in our nation’s future, and that it is entirely appropriate that it should be met out of public funds. I look forward to the support that there will be when the yacht is built in a British shipyard, sustaining British jobs.”

Sadly, his government mishandled the issue. It should have capitalised on Britannia’s high-profile programme and commercial success to justify the construction of another royal yacht when it announced Britannia’s retirement in 1994. Instead, it allowed the issue to drift for over two years before giving the replacement a green light in the worst possible circumstances, having failed to consult the opposition and announcing its plans ahead of a general election.

Neither Tony Blair, nor the senior members of his shadow Cabinet, had any direct experience of Britannia, so they viewed the government’s announcement as a golden opportunity to score short-term political points.

The irony of Sir John Major’s criticism is that the current Government could have benefited from higher tax receipts from British companies and workers stemming from the business generated by Britannia’s successor, to spend on worthy projects such as foreign aid, if his government had handled the issue more effectively in 1997.

Richard Johnstone-Bryden Beausoleil, Alpes-Maritimes, France