Former Justice secretary Michael Gove has upped the pressure on Theresa May to back a £100million replacement for the Royal Yacht Britannia by joining score of Tory MPs supporting the idea.

Mr Gove is one of 75 Conservative backbenchers who have signed a letter to the Prime Minister urging her to set up a commission to examine how the new yacht can be funded.

The Daily Telegraph has launched a campaign to return a modern-day version of HMY Britannia to the seas to help secure trade deals once Britain has left the European Union.

The vessel is estimated to have helped secure £3 billion of trade deals between 1991 and 1995

In the letter – which has been signed by more than half of the MPs on the Conservative backbenches and organised by Tory backbencher Jake Berry – is titled “Bring back Britannia”.

It says: “Recommissioning or rebuilding a new yacht, which would be the 85th royal yacht since the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, would also be a fitting tribute to the hard work and dedication of Her Majesty the Queen.

"This is why now is the time for the Government to set up a commission examining the contribution the return of a royal yacht can make, in order that she, together with our Royal Family, can help us shape our future as an optimistic global trading nation.”