At a time, when United Kingdom shoppers are facing higher bills, the country’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson is accused of using a government-private jet to fly home from a weekend with his family in Cornwall. The reported incident triggered questions about the use of taxpayer-funded resources.
UK-based media outlet Mirror reported that the British PM has been accused of using official planes as his “personal taxi service”.
The trip was scheduled on a weekend before defeat in the Tiverton by-election. During the weekend, Johnson was photographed enjoying a day on the beach with his wife, Carrie Johnson.
A report by Sunday Mirror noted that an official plane was apparently taken off from London to Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose early on the morning of June 13.
It reportedly returned to London shortly after 10:00am (local time). The report claimed that the plane had complete United Kingdom livery and the tail number G-GBNI.
Emily Thornberry, who is Labour’s shadow Attorney General, said as quoted by the report: “While the rest of Britain is struggling to pay the bills, Boris Johnson keeps living the high life at public expense. Once again, he’s been caught treating the government’s official plane as his personal taxi service, regardless of what it costs the environment or the taxpayer. It’s the act of a man drunk on power, who needs to be told he’s had enough.”
As quoted by the news website, a Number 10 Spokesperson said: “All travel decisions are made with consideration for security and time restraints. The PM is accompanied on government business by a delegation of staff, which is taken into consideration as part of ensuring taxpayer value for money.”
“This was the sole reason for the plane being used to transport the PM and his staff back from this particular visit,” the spokesperson added.
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