Yahoo News Why Rishi Sunak and his private jet are under fire... again
The prime minister confirmed he was flying to Scotland to announce a key climate policy.
Rishi Sunak has come under fire after he revealed he would be taking a private jet to Scotland to announce a million-pound green initiative.
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland, Sunak was quizzed by host Martin Geissler as to how he would be travelling north to make the announcement.
"How are you getting up here to make this green announcement? Private jet?" Geissler asked, prompting the prime minister to respond with the defence that climate change would not be solved by banning holidays.
"I’ll be flying as I normally would and that is the most efficient use of my time," Sunak said. "But that question brings to life a great debate here.
"If you or others think that the answer to climate change is getting people to ban everything they’re doing, to stop people flying, to stop people going on holiday, I think that’s absolutely the wrong approach.
"Every prime minister before me has also used planes to travel around the United Kingdom because it’s an efficient use of time for the person running the country, so I can keep delivering for people.
"But if your approach to climate change is to say no-one should go on holiday, I think you are completely and utterly wrong."
It is not the first time the PM has been criticised over his use of a private jet, with his defensive response coming just a week after he took a private plane from RAF Northolt to Leeds last week.
In fact, according to The Mirror, Sunak and his cabinet colleagues have taken 74 flights on private jets rather than using the train.
"Since June 1, 2022, the Envoy aircraft of the Command Support Air Transport fleet have been tasked to carry ministers for official purposes 74 times. Each task can include a number of separate legs," Ministry of Defence under-secretary Dr Andrew Murrison told the publication.
Yahoo News charts the times Sunak's transport choices have caused him turbulence in recent months:
Read more: Rishi Sunak Slammed By Radio Presenter For Taking Private Jet To Make Green Pledge (HuffPost UK, 2-min read)
January 2023
Sunak faced criticism over his decision to take an RAF jet from Northolt to Blackpool – which takes around three hours by train from London – to promote the government's levelling up agenda.
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said at the time: “Rishi Sunak’s expensive private jet habit is costing the environment and the taxpayer dear.
“Instead of catching the train like the rest of us, he’s swanning around like a washed-up A-lister courtesy of the public, making a mockery of his own government’s ‘zero-jet’ strategy.”
One of the journeys made by Sunak in the north was a flight lasting just 28 minutes.
Read more: Sunak takes 28-minute flight despite criticism for jetting around Britain (PA, 4-min read)
April 2023
Sunak and eight staff members flew between Scotland and Wales by private jet for Conservative Party events, in journeys that racked up a bill of £38,500.
Not only did the use of private jet prompt a backlash, but the prime minister also faced questions over how the journeys were funded - initially claiming the journeys were paid for by Balderton Medical Consultants, but later amending the expenses declaration to entrepreneur Akhil Tripathi and prompting concerns from the opposition over funding rules.
Read more: Rishi Sunak changes declaration again over private jet travel expenses (The Guardian, 3-min read)
May 2023
Sunak opted to take a helicopter to a Southampton event rather than travel for just over an hour by train (for a cost of around £40).
"His transport will vary depending on his time and where he's going to make the best use of both his time and in the interest of the taxpayer," Sunak's spokesperson said at the time.
"Obviously there's a lot of pressure on his time and he wants to make the most effective use of that time. Sometimes being able to get to and from places quickly is useful."
Read more: Taxpayers Foot Bill For Rishi Sunak Helicopter Ride To Photo Op (HuffPostUK, 2-min read)
July 2023
As well as taking trips from RAF Northolt to Leeds and from London to Scotland for the green announcement, Sunak's government refused a request by The Independent to share how much private jet flights had cost the taxpayer, and how much CO2 the flights produced.
“Rishi Sunak’s culture of concealment is reaching ridiculous levels,” Labour’s shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry told the publication.
“The Cabinet Office has an explicit target to reduce its number of domestic flights, so how on earth can it be unreasonable to ask the prime minister what contribution he is making towards that goal?
“If he truly believes the only way he can travel around Britain is by helicopter and private jet, he should just be honest and open about that instead of trying to hide behind this pathetic silence.”
He was also accused of hypocrisy after taking a helicopter 200 miles away to a campaign event in Wrexham, in a journey that was estimated to have saved him just 10 minutes.
Downing Street did not respond to Yahoo News' request for comment.
Read more: Rishi Sunak slammed for ‘helicopter lifestyle’ as he claims to be ‘on the side’ of drivers (The Independent, 4-Min read)
