August 27th 2024.
Rishi Sunak, the former Prime Minister, recently came under fire for his frequent use of private helicopters for official appointments across the UK. The Labour party has now decided to scrap the controversial £40 million contract that was regularly used by Sunak for his trips around the country. During his tenure, Sunak faced criticism for his habit of choosing helicopters over more cost-effective modes of transportation, such as trains.
One particular incident that received backlash was when Sunak took a chopper from London to Southampton and back, a journey that could have been completed in just over an hour by train and for a fraction of the cost. In light of this, current Labour leader Keir Starmer and his defence secretary John Healey have made the decision to not renew the five-year contract when it expires on December 31. The initial plan was to allocate a budget of £40 million for a new contract in 2025, but that will no longer be the case.
According to sources, the prime minister will now only use government-owned aircraft when absolutely necessary for operational reasons, as opposed to using private helicopters for convenience. This move is seen as a statement to the public that Labour ministers are not interested in indulging in luxurious perks of power and also draws attention to the behavior of their Conservative predecessors. However, this also means that Starmer will not have the same level of access to RAF helicopters as Sunak did.
Last December, it was reported that Sunak had personally intervened to continue using the helicopters, after the Ministry of Defence had initially planned to stop renting them. It was also revealed that former defence secretary Grant Shapps had been picked up from his home by a helicopter three times in just six weeks. At the time, Labour referred to this as "Britain's most expensive Uber".
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence has stated that the government is committed to ensuring value for taxpayers' money and will look for areas where spending can be reduced or improved. The money saved from cancelling the private helicopter contract will be redirected to the core MOD budget for more effective spending to support the strengthening of the Armed Forces.
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