The Prime Minister had an RAF jet to fly 200 miles to have him “whisked away” at “taxpayers expense” instead of taking a train like most have to do.
Rishi Sunak was met at Teesside International Airport by an RAF jet after he was grilled by an audience at GB News “People’s Panel,” instead of taking a train.
Sunak has been slammed in the past for his constant use of helicopters and Labour said that the Prime Minister is “enjoying his luxury lifestyle at taxpayers’ expense.”
A Labour source told The Mirror, “It’s the same old Rishi Sunak, getting whisked away from the People’s Panel to his own private plane.
“He can pretend to engage with the British public all he wants, but as soon as the show is over, he’s got his head straight back in the clouds, enjoying his luxury lifestyle at taxpayers’ expense.”
Flight records shows that an RAF jet left RAF Northolt to Teesside and landed at 7.50pm, then once the Prime Minister finished filming he boarded the plane which took off at 9.41pm
On 8 January he was flown to Preston and then back to a Connect Event, on 29 January he then boarded an RAF Dassault Falcon flew to pick up Sunak to take him back London for another event.
On 8 February Sunak was flown to Newquay then returned empty back to London, again all at taxpayers expense.
A Government spokesman said, “The Prime Minister regularly uses all forms of travel.
“His travel plans will vary and are always decided with consideration to the most efficient and best use of his time, and the interests of the taxpayer.”
In December the Prime Minister stepped in to reverse the scrapping of the contract which provides helicopter travel for him and other senior Ministers.
It was expected that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) would stop the £40 million helicopter rental contract, as it was confirmed they wanted to ensured there was “available funds are prioritised on key areas.”
The then Defence Secretary Ben Wallace took the decision to scrap the rental contract, but according to the Sunday Times Grant Shapps reversed this decision when he replaced Wallace as the new Defence Secretary.
Tom Woods wrote in the RAF in-house magazine Northolt Approac, “In Jul 23 the previous SofS for Defence, The Rt Hon Ben Wallace, announced the termination of the RotaryWing Command Support Air Transport (RW CSAT) capability which would cease operating on 30 Sep 23.
“However, in mid-September 23, the new SofS Defence, The Rt Hon Grant Shapps, reversed the decision at the request of the Prime Minister.
“There was frenetic activity… to rapidly ensure all the key elements required to allow A109 to continue service were in place.”
