Keir Starmer has scrapped a “wasteful” £40million helicopter that was used to ferry Rishi Sunak to events.
Downing Street and the Ministry of Defence will not renew the contract for two aircraft after Mr Sunak was heavily criticised for his use of choppers, manned by RAF personnel. A Labour source described it as the “Tories’ VIP helicopter service” and said it was a “grossly wasteful” symbol of the previous Government.
The money will instead be directed back to the Ministry of Defence, the PM’s official spokesman said. The helicopter-loving former PM stepped in last year to prevent the contract being scrapped when it expired last September, it previously emerged.
The Labour source said: “It’s only right that this service is brought to an end.” They added: “It tells you everything that, on top of the £22billion black hole that the Tories were blowing in the public finances, Rishi Sunak’s priority was keeping his VIP helicopter service. The Conservatives left behind an unforgivable inheritance.”
Mr Sunak’s use of helicopters during his time in No10 sparked a wave of criticism. On one occassion last year he flew less than 60 miles to Clacton-on-Sea – a constituency the Tories have since lost to Nigel Farage.
Former Defence Secretary Grant Shapps also came under fire over his use of the choppers after The Mirror revealed he’d been picked up from his home and flown to events. He was accused of using the VIP chopper like “Britain’s most expensive Uber”. Flight records show three occasions in January and February when he was collected from a field near his house.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “This government is committed to securing value for money for taxpayers. That means identifying any areas where we can reduce or improve the value of spending. The money saved from cancelling this contract will be returned to the core MOD budget for more effective spending to support the strengthening of our Armed Forces.”