Politics
Liam O'Dell
Mar 23, 2021
People have expressed their anger after it was revealed that Boris Johnson had paid for a second ‘Brexit jet’ to use for international travel.
The news was broken byThe Independent on Tuesday, and comes after the Government splashed £900,000 on a repaint of the prime minister’s first plane, RAF Voyager, last year.
While a Government spokesperson did not reveal the cost of the second plane, they said it offers “value for money” in comparison to the “ad-hoc hire of private planes.“
The spokesperson added: “The aircraft with its Global Britain livery will promote a strong image of the role the UK plays on the international stage when it is used by the prime minister, government ministers and senior members of the royal household.”
Responding to the news on Twitter, people were quick to contrast the plane with the Government’s latest decision to give healthcare professionals a 1 percent pay rise:
UK latest. WHAT THERE ISN’T MONEY FOR: A proper pay rise for nurses WHAT THERE IS MONEY FOR: A second plane for B… https://t.co/lLaVgwSRjL— David Schneider (@David Schneider) 1616496300
tell me again how we can't afford to give nurses a proper pay rise https://t.co/UeqfYpzIF4— Sarah 🇮🇹🌹#KilltheBill (@Sarah 🇮🇹🌹#KilltheBill) 1616441096
I'm sure that everyone will understand that I need a second jet far more than nurses need a pay rise. https://t.co/8JRfy7rU2e— Parody Boris Johnson (@Parody Boris Johnson) 1616444456
Others questioned why one wasn’t enough, with several referencing former deputy prime minister John ‘Two Jags’ Prescott:
There's now two of these things, the first plane hasn't actually done anything yet. There's going to be a third o… https://t.co/ocjKfq1QVB— Matthew JS Oliver (@Matthew JS Oliver) 1616437084
Good grief. Johnson loves spending other peoples' money, doesn't he? Why does he need two planes? https://t.co/E1jtFIxn3z— Mike W 🔶️🖤 💙#FPHD (@Mike W 🔶️🖤 💙#FPHD) 1616427687
Meanwhile, one pointed out the Conservatives’ obsession with the Union Jack in recent weeks:
Apparently govt have moved on from insisting the Union Jack be merely displayed in ministerial backgrounds to LITER… https://t.co/7YU5JTK0En— Genuinely a Genevieve (@Genuinely a Genevieve) 1616454436
The costs associated with the second plane, as well as the contract with provider Titan Airways, are expected to be released soon.
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