A MP’S campaign to commission a new royal yacht to promote trade has been backed by the foreign secretary Boris Johnson.

Jake Berry, who represents Rossendale and Darwen, asked his Conservative colleague for his support in the House of Commons.

Mr Johnson said: “May I say how much I admire my honourable friend for the indefatigable campaign he is running to create such a vessel?

“It is my view that it would indeed add greatly to the soft power of this country, which is already very considerable, if we were to have such a vessel, always provided—I know that this is part of his prospectus—that the new Britannia should not be a call on the taxpayer. If it can be done privately, I am sure it will attract overwhelming support.

Mr Berry had said a new yacht could ‘protect the soft power and prestige of Britain around the globe’.