As the idea of the replacing the Queens 44 year old yacht as a present for her diamond jubilee seems to continue to be a matter of debate amongst my friends I find myself wondering a few things. The first is does she actually want a new yacht of any sort, or would this be like getting a very expensive knitted sweater from your granny that will never see the light of day? Though of course as the video above observes who wouldn’t want a massive yacht?
The thing I’d be more doubtful about is who’d organize the fund raising, a government quango? If the government was involved I’ll just post her a bit of sailcloth as that would probably be more likely to result in her getting a yacht than anything the government touched. The idea that it could also be used as some sort of “university of the seas” doesn’t make it much of a present either.
“here you go love, brand new boat for you – but you can only use it when we say so ‘cos we want to use it as a trendy university so no nipping off for your holidays on it – think of it as more of a time share”
So no if the Government is invovled that isn’t going to fly, but lets instead assume that the Queen does actually want a yacht, then could not Philip pull a few strings to get some of the more informed great and good to create “Prince Phillips – buy my missus a boat” fund run along charitable lines and open to public subscription? I have seen some people scoffing at the idea that public subscription might actually pay for it, but really it’s not that silly an idea – the mooted price of the erstwhile yacht is 60 million (yachts it seems are expensive), now there are estimated to be over 60 million people living in the UK, so that’s say a quid each. Now of course a lot of people wouldn’t want to chip in, but on the other hand her Maj is quite popular globally so some foreign types might throw in the odd bob or two (preferably not Euro’s we want real money here) and well Charles and Andrew etc. might perhaps throw in a bit extra. So really is buying the yacht via voluntary public subscription that strange an idea?
Finally there is a very practical fiscal upside to all of this. If the government isn’t invovled then the foundation/charity what have you can use who ever they like to build it. No mucking about with EU tendering mandates, they can just go down to bob’s boat emporium (round the back of the Neesden marina and sewage plant) chuck him some dosh and say on you go mate. So that could be 60 million pounds or private capital from around the world being pumped into British industry, as for all the talk of the decline in our industry something that we continue to do well at is luxury. A high tech state of the art luxury boat – that’s right up the street for British industry, and such a yacht would make an excellent show case for the businesses invovled. Finally of course all those businesses and workers involved will be paying tax, so the project will have deftly pilfered the pockets of foreign contributors* to swell the nations ailing coffers. What’s not to like about the plan? Given it could avoid tendering outside of the UK, it sounds a better idea than high speed rail?
* Only foreign contributors they’d have got our money sooner or later anyway so that can hardly count.
Update: First I’d like to point out I wrote this at 15:27 so before the Gaudrian article saying that some of the great and good were setting up a charity and that the Queen wouldn’t mind a yacht etc… But I do wonder why the price has gone up by 20 million between the BBC article and the Gaurdians.
On the whole I’d have to agree but for two salient points:
1) The danger of a subscription is in not meeting the target. Can you imagine the embarrassed underling shuffling into ma’am’s drawing room to tell her “Actually, there aren’t enough people willing to fork out – so no yacht.
2) Anything is a better idea than high speed rail. Re-building the entire canal network and using exclusively royal yachts on it is a better idea than high speed rail.
Other than that, you’re probably right. Good luck selling the idea though.
I don’t actually think that point 1 is that big a risk, assuming the government kept it’s mitts well away from it – but yeah it’d be a tad embarrassing if the target wasn’t met. Though of course short fall might just mean she got the stoat fur bathroom carpet rather than the mink.
Ooh a high speed yacht canal network I like that idea.
Thankfully I think I’ve just done my bit for this idea, though I’d chip in a few bob if it comes about and the government have no involvement