Private jet addict Rishi Sunak takes more VIP flights around UK than any PM
Does Rishi Sunak need the help of the Priory? Rishi Sunak doesn’t seem to care about the environment as he has taken more private flights than any other Prime Minister.
In recent years, politicians around the world have faced increasing scrutiny over their travel habits and their impact on the environment. However, it seems Rishi Sunak doesn’t care.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has come under fire for his frequent use of private jets and helicopters for domestic travel. Some are questioning if the Prime Minister actually cares about the environment, while others have questions why taxpayers money is being wasted on private flights.
Rishi Sunak has used more private Jets than any other Prime Minister with some asking if he is addicted to private jets and if he should book himself into the Priory clinic.
According to a damning analysis, Sunak has taken a private flight every eight days on average during his time as Prime Minister. Freedom of Information requests revealed that Sunak boarded 23 domestic flights on RAF jets and helicopters within a span of 187 days. This figure places him at the top, surpassing previous Prime Ministers such as Theresa May and Boris Johnson.
The aircraft used for these flights belong to the RAF’s 32 Squadron, which operates two Dassault Falcon 900LX jets and a helicopter for domestic transportation of the Prime Minister and other ministers.
Sunak’s frequent use of private jets and helicopters has drawn criticism, particularly due to its contradiction with his pledges to cut carbon emissions. Despite promising to address climate change, Sunak has been accused of hypocrisy for taking short flights and failing to set a good example.
In a radio interview, when confronted about his decision to fly to Scotland for a green energy announcement, Sunak defended his choice, stating that flying was the most efficient use of his time.
Asked if he was travelling to Aberdeenshire by private jet, the PM said: “I’ll be flying as I normally would and that is the most efficient use of my time. But again, I think actually 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 that they’re doing, to stop people flying, to stop people going on holiday. I mean, I think that’s absolutely the wrong approach.”
This response sparked further outrage, as critics argue that it undermines the urgency of the climate crisis and the need for individuals, including political leaders, to adopt sustainable travel practices.
Angela Rayner, the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, accused Sunak of swanning around on private jets at the expense of taxpayers and in violation of his own ministerial code.
Apart from the environmental concerns, Sunak’s extravagant travel habits have also raised questions about the cost to taxpayers. One notable instance involved Sunak opting to use an expensive helicopter, costing £1,000 per hour, for a journey that could have taken just 75 minutes by train.
Angela Rayner criticized Sunak for making a mockery of his own ministerial code, which states that ministers should use scheduled flights whenever possible to minimize costs for taxpayers.
She said: “This Prime Minister is developing an expensive habit of swanning around on private jets courtesy of the taxpayer and making a mockery of his own ministerial code in the process.
“His own rules state that, like every other member of the Cabinet, when it is essential to travel by air, he is supposed to use scheduled flights where possible because that is cheaper for the taxpayer and better for the environment. Rishi Sunak needs to explain why he appears not to be following his own rules.”
Anna Hughes, whose Flight Free UK campaign encourages people to fly less, said Mr Sunak’s transport choices were “frustrating”. She told the BBC if leaders demonstrated “the kind of behaviour that we all need to adopt to avert the climate crisis, it communicates that it’s serious and real”. She added: “You can’t just say I’m the prime minister, I’m too busy and important.”
A Downing Street spokesman said ministers “sometimes require the use of non-commercial air travel”. “This is a standard practice for governments around the world and this has consistently been the case under successive UK administrations of all political colours,” they said. “Value for money, security, and time efficiency is taken into account in all travel decisions and all flights are carbon offset.”
Some Conservative MPs have privately said that the Prime Minister no longer cares what people think. He knows he will not win the next General Election. His actions have worried some MPs who know they will be fighting for their jobs at the next General Election due to the damage caused by Rishi Sunak.
