Sunak criticised for ‘jetting like A-list celeb’ to Blackpool

Rishi Sunak has been criticised for using a jet to travel to Blackpool as he opts for flights around Britain rather than trains.

The prime minister took an RAF jet from Northolt to Blackpool as he carried out a series of visits in northern England linked to an announcement on new levelling up funding.

Labour accused Mr Sunak of “jetting around the country on taxpayers’ money like an A-list celeb” and making a “mockery” of his environmental strategy after the 41-minute flight on Thursday.

Mr Sunak instead made the trip on a Dassault Falcon 900LX, with the French manufacturer having reportedly been favoured by stars including Taylor Swift.

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said: “Rishi Sunak’s expensive private jet habit is costing the environment and the taxpayer dear.

“Instead of catching the train like the rest of us, he’s swanning around like a washed-up A-lister courtesy of the public, making a mockery of his own government’s ‘zero-jet’ strategy.”

Asked about it at a Q&A session in Morecambe Mr Sunak said: “I travel around so I can do lots of things in one day, I’m not travelling around just for my own enjoyment – although this is very enjoyable, of course … I travel to make myself as effective as possible.”

A No 10 spokesperson said the jet helped “enable him to fulfil all the work he is doing today – speaking to the [Israeli] prime minister, that needs to be a private call, and three different visits across the UK”.

Last week, Downing Street defended Mr Sunak flying to Leeds because there is a “great deal of pressure” on his schedule. He went on to take an RAF plane to Scotland as he announced two new “green” freeports.

Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “Rishi Sunak has learnt nothing from the past few weeks as he continues to jet about the country on taxpayers’ money.

“It is simply ridiculous that he can’t get a train like the rest of the British public do. Yet again, this prime minister is completely out of touch with the rest of society.”

A train journey from London Euston to Blackpool takes less than three hours, with a single fare coming in at £73.40, or £189.80 to travel during peak hours. First class could cost £257.

Disruption and delays hit earlier services on Thursday. Tory MP Mark Jenkinson defended Mr Sunak’s jet use, saying “he’s the prime minister, multiple train changes with a security detail and unreliable” Avanti West Coast trains “would be madness”.

Mr Sunak was in Lancashire to discuss the allocation of £2bn in levelling-up funding.

Ministers have defended London and the south east getting the largest share of the funding, receiving £362m compared to the north west’s £354m, £109 million for the north east and £177m for Scotland.

Critics have also said Tory areas are being favoured with Catterick Garrison in the PM’s wealthy North Yorkshire seat receiving £19m to regenerate the high street.

But Mr Sunak said: “If you look at the overall funding in the levelling-up funds that we’ve done, about two thirds of all that funding has gone to the most deprived part of our country.”