Jet-setting Rishi Sunak used taxpayer-funded helicopter for 110-mile trip to Norwich

The Prime Minister, who has been accused of jetting around on the taxpayer ‘like an A-list celeb’, shunned public transport for the visit to a new-build housing estate

Rishi Sunak hopped in a taxpayer-funded helicopter to a visit to Norwich, a journey of just over 110 miles.

The Prime Minister shunned public transport for the visit to a new-build housing estate on to talk up Government plans to water down environmental rules for developers. The journey from London to Norwich takes around one hour and 45 minutes – with a return costing around £50.

Mr Sunak has been accused in the past of “jetting around the country on taxpayers’ money like an A-list celeb” due to his love of luxury short-haul travel. While previous PMs have used planes and helicopters to get around the country, mega-rich Mr Sunak’s has taken more VIP flights around the UK than any of his predecessors.

Downing Street said the PM had a meeting with Kuwait Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in the early afternoon. A spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister regularly uses all forms of travel. His travel plans will vary and are always decided with consideration to the most efficient and best use of his time, in the interests of the taxpayer.”

Recent analysis found Mr Sunak has taken one domestic flight every eight days on average since he became Prime Minister. Figures obtained through Freedom of Information requests to the BBC, showed Mr Sunak boarded 23 domestic flights on RAF jets and helicopters in 187 days. The aircraft used was of the RAF division – known as 32 Squadron – which operates two Dassault Falcon 900LX jets and a helicopter to transport the PM and other ministers domestically.

The PM ranked top in his use of such aircraft out of Prime Ministers going back to Theresa May. Mrs May took a flight every 13 days on average, while Boris Johnson boarded one every 20 days and Liz Truss every 12 days. Pandemic travel restrictions may have impacted Mr Johnson’s travel arrangements, while disaster PM Ms Truss was only in No10 for 49 days.

Mr Sunak got into a bad-tempered clash with a BBC Scotland presenter last month after he was confronted about his decision to fly to Scotland for a green energy announcement. 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.”

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