Helicopter rides and electoral annihilation: Rishi Sunak’s expensive commute
Rishi Sunak’s use of a taxpayer-funded helicopter to Southampton on Tuesday, costing around £6,000 to the taxpayers, has been criticised as wasteful and environmentally damaging. Number 10 defends it as necessary for effective time management.
Rishi Sunak’s use of a taxpayer-funded helicopter to Southampton on Tuesday, costing around £6,000 to the taxpayers, has been criticised as wasteful and environmentally damaging. Number 10 defends it as necessary for effective time management.
📌 The main points...
- The Conservatives’ recent loss of over 1,000 council seats makes Rishi Sunak’s decision to take a helicopter to Southampton on Tuesday look poorly timed and damaging.
- The cost of the trip was around £6,000, in contrast to the approximate £30 return train ticket cost.
- Sunak’s use of private jets creates the impression he is out of touch and prioritises his personal convenience and raises questions about his commitment to sustainability.
P rime Minister Rishi Sunak opted to fly to and from Southampton by helicopter, rather than take the train, on Tuesday, amid a dispiriting electoral annihilation for the Conservative Party; it has been suggested the taxpayer will be footing the bill.
Departing from Wellington Barracks in Westminster at 9:15 am, Sunak flew over to Southampton where he visited a pharmacy to make an announcement about chemists being able to issue prescriptions for millions of patients.
CONTINUE READING...
Enjoy unlimited access now.
To get full access to this article,
simply become a member of PUBLIC SQUARE now.
By doing so, you will be supporting
our independent journalism.
MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS:
£3/month ∙ £5/month ∙ £7/month
You can cancel anytime.
BECOME A MEMBER
Already a member? Sign in here!
BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP:
✅ Read exclusive member-only articles
✅ Read our daily review of the UK front pages
✅ Receive every new article by email
✅ Access all our articles
✅ Get Special Discounts with our partners
✅ Join the conversation: Comment our articles
✅ Access our archives
✅ More importantly: Support independent journalism and keep the magazine going
Read more
— Your daily roundup of the front pages of the main newspapers and magazines today in the UK... and beyond.
— Latest Weekly UK COVID-19 Data. COVID-19 levels have stopped falling across the UK, with early signs of increases in England, Scotland, and Wales. Hospital admissions are rising, prompting the NHS to launch an Autumn 2024 booster campaign.
— Your daily roundup of the front pages of the main newspapers and magazines today in the UK... and beyond.
— The NHS faces serious challenges unless major reforms are made, according to Lord Ara Darzi’s report. Key recommendations include shifting focus to digital transformation, community care, disease prevention, and avoiding centralised restructuring.
|
|
