Disrespect - A letter by Ivan Cloherty

[Brian Probetts (Site Admin)]

Copy of a letter sent to The Right Honourable Lord Prescott.




1st November 2011 Jasmine Cottage
9 Lisburne Square
Torquay TQ1 2PT

The Office of The Rt Hon Lord Prescott
House of Lords
London
SW1A 0PW

Dear Lord Prescott,

Disrespect to Her Majesty

I write on behalf of 6500 plus members of our forum, www.Merchant-Navy.net. Our members are mainly Merchant Navy personnel of all ranks, with some from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and Royal Navy.


It is with regret that we learn the Liners “Queen Elizabeth” “Queen Mary 2” and “Queen Victoria” will be scheduled to sail under the Bermudan flag and not the Red Ensign. The process has already started. Whilst not wanting to disparage the Bermudan flag as a state flag, it is considered a “Flag of Convenience” by most seafarers, and associated by many with UK tax evasion.


We consider it disrespectful to Her Majesty that these three liners, named after members of our Royal Family, will have “Hamilton” painted on their sterns, when it should be Liverpool or Southampton or London. These vessels are scheduled to be at the Southampton review, on the occasion of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012; it would be a disgrace to have a foreign port of registry displayed on what are considered British icons.

Cunard, the operators, state that this reflagging enables them to take advantage of the lucrative “at sea” wedding market; these facilities not being available to them whilst sailing under the Red Ensign. Surely it is not beyond the whit of officialdom to grant these vessels, and other cruise vessels under the Red Ensign an exemption allowing them to perform such ceremonies.
After all certificates seem to be granted to all and sundry, even a Beach-Hut on Bournemouth beach.


My Lord may we seek your assistance, and those of your fellow Lordships, in trying to reverse this mercantile travesty. Also with the undoubted expertise available amongst their Lordships within the House, investigate the possibility of giving the aforementioned vessels the facility to perform onboard weddings; so that they could be returned to their rightful role of flying our Red Ensign.


We consider it highly disrespectful and insulting to Her Majesty that she should have to review these vessels named after herself, and her forebears, when they are flying a foreign flag; a flag of convenience, also associated, rightly or wrongly with United Kingdom tax evasion.


With respect it would seem that urgency would be the order of the day, so that our Monarch is not placed in a position of indignity which we think the current situation may place Her Majesty in.

Yours sincerely

Ivan Cloherty
Discharge A Number R611450
Telephone 01803 211350
Email ivanjcloherty@hotmail.co.uk

[John Cassels]

Whilst I wholeheartly agree with the sentiments expressed , surely no one expects that Prescott will
take the slightest notice. He's already made his feather bed .

[Keith at Tregenna]

Supporting Ivan Cloherty and friends:

RE: Disrespect to Her Majesty:

LINK: Message Board - “Queen's Elizabeth, Mary 2 and Victoria".

K.

[Chris Allman]

Very well written Ivan, lets hope Lord Prescott remembers his past and at least makes some effort to rectify a very distasteful situation.

Chris.

[Colin Hawken]

I had the good fotune to meet Ivan and his Wife earlier this year. While I'm in full agreement with everything he has said and written on this subject,I think you are correct in your assumption. If you talk to any of the remainiing ex-Crew members from the old "Mary"or "Lizzie," you won't hear a good word about Prescott from them. Many of them still call him the prime Architect of the demise of the British Merchant Navy.

Sorry this was in answer to John Cassels.