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Royal Yacht Britannia

January 20, 2012 by · Comments Off on Royal Yacht Britannia 

Royal Yacht Britannia, Secretive tycoon Lord Ashcroft yesterday offered to help bankroll the new royal yacht planned for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The Tory donor, embroiled in an election row over his non-dom tax status while in Belize, proposes putting up £5million.

The peer, now resident for tax purposes here but accused of breaking undertakings given in return for his title, is the first major backer for the plan to replace Britannia.

The proposal for a new sailing ship caused controversy this week after a leaked letter from Education Secretary Michael Gove suggested a new £100 million yacht could be seen as “a gift from the nation to Her Majesty” to mark her 60 years on the throne.

Prime Minister David Cameron was forced to rule out spending any public money on the yacht but supported the project.

The proposed ship would be 650ft long and as tall as St Paul’s Cathedral.

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