‘Show of extravagance’: UK PM Rishi Sunak below fireplace for taking 30-minute non-public jet flight

Britain Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been accused of ‘present of extravagance’ for taking a 30-minute non-public jet flight to go to a healthcare facility in Leeds.

New Delhi,UPDATED: Jan 12, 2023 12:25 IST

Rishi Sunak walks close to the Treasury constructing in London, Britain, May 3, 2022 (Photo: Reuters/File)

By India Today Web Desk: Britain Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has come below fireplace after it emerged that he travelled from London to Leeds on a 14-seat RAF jet. The Conservative get together chief has been accused of undermining the federal government’s inexperienced credentials and losing taxpayers’ cash through the use of a non-public jet to go to a healthcare centre in Leeds, The Mirror reported.

The prime minister was pictured boarding an RAF airplane on Monday morning for the tour forward of his go to to Rutland Healthcare Centre to satisfy sufferers and carers because the National Health Service (NHS) is gripped by a winter disaster.

Slamming Sunak’s transfer to take a non-public jet, the Labour get together accused the prime minister of a “show of extravagance”.

“Patients and workers are crying out for motion from this authorities within the midst of a disaster in our NHS whereas the prime minister jets from London to Leeds for a photograph op,” Angela Rayner, the party’s deputy leader, was quoted by The Guardian as saying.

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“The prime minister must come clean about how much taxpayers’ money was wasted on this 36-minute plane journey for a three-hour visit at the height of a cost of living crisis,” the chief additional mentioned.

Sunak has been accused of not solely losing taxpayers’ cash but additionally making a mockery of his local weather pledges.

“It is totally indefensible for Tory ministers to make such quick journeys by jet when far cheaper and far much less damaging choices are available,” Green MP Caroline Lucas was quoted by The Guardian as saying.

SNP MP Tommy Sheppard tweeted that Sunak’s use of a jet made “a mockery of his local weather pledges”.

Sunak used a non-public jet to journey to Leeds yesterday regardless of the journey taking 2.5hrs by practice. Likely costing taxpayers way more and making a mockery of his local weather pledges within the course of. Unbelievable. https://t.co/vMFcoiMw3r
— Tommy Sheppard MP (@TommySheppard) January 10, 2023

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DOWNING STREET DEFENDS MOVE

Downing Street has defended Sunak’s use of a jet to go to a hospital as “appropriate” given his busy schedule. Defending the transfer, No 10 mentioned that it was the “most effective use of his time”.

Downing Street mentioned there was a “great deal of pressure” on his schedule when requested why Sunak determined to fly relatively than take a practice.

The PM’s official spokesman mentioned transport choices “will always be made in the interest of what is the most effective use of his time, enabling him to get around the entirety of the UK when there is a great deal of pressure on his time”.

The No 10 official added: “It will vary (depending) on what is the most appropriate use.”

He has been criticised earlier than for flying quick distances across the UK. Earlier this 12 months, he personally paid greater than £10,000 to fly by non-public helicopter from Battersea in London to a Tory dinner in Wales.

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Published On:

Jan 12, 2023