‘Britannia 2’ would put wind in our sails, says Mordaunt

A SMALL fleet of Britannia-type ships could set sail to help support British aid in the world’s trouble spots under plans backed by Penny Mordaunt.

The Leader of the Commons has been privately supporting a “Britannia 2.0” plan to get much better value for taxpayers’ money, when the UK deploys Naval ships to help with relief efforts.

Ms Mordaunt is now backing a charity in her Portsmouth constituency – Britannia Maritime Aid – to take the plans forward. They were drawn up separately to the MoD’s £250million national flagship project, seen as a replacement for the royal yacht Britannia, which was scrapped last week.

Ms Mordaunt and Britannia Maritime Aid, together with a coalition of interested independent sector organisations, are launching a project to block build three of the multi-role ships.

The ships – in red, white and blue livery and with the capacity to accommodate crew as well as 200 people – could be used for research, trade, humanitarian relief supplies and medical care, as well as providing first-class cabins.

They would crewed by sailors from the UK and Commonwealth countries and cost about £135million each but would be funded privately and generate an income through a training role for commonwealth countries.

The hope is that the Government can be persuaded to use the ships when required and underwrite the project, allowing Britannia Maritime Aid to raise the construction costs privately.

Other income can be generated through trading and training activities, ocean advocacy, carrying passengers and use as a research platform to cover the £4.5million a year operating costs.

Ms Mordaunt developed the concept for Britannia 2.0 when she was international development secretary.

She said: “These vessels, particularly focused on support for the Commonwealth, would be a platform for all global Britain has to offer, while not being a financial millstone around the necks of the UK taxpayer.”