A snapshot of Burnham’s travel last week. And the private jets…
Thursday:
Afternoon: Burnham goes to Derby for a Budget promo, then legs it to Manchester on the ground.
4.12 p.m: Government Dassault Falcon 900lx flies from London to Manchester and parks.
7:45 p.m: Burnham and his wife are photographed attending the Everton game at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, 30 miles away. And celebrating the win…
Friday:
7.34 a.m: The Dassault Falcon 900lx leaves Manchester for Glasgow, carrying Burnham.
10.21 a.m.: A second Falcon leaves London for Glasgow, probably carrying John Healey.
Lunchtime: Burnham chairs the National Economic Council in Glasgow.
2.58 p.m: Burnham’s Falcon leaves Glasgow for Manchester.
3.15 p.m: The second jet leaves Glasgow for Northolt, just outside London.
4.28 p.m: Burnham’s Falcon leaves Manchester without Burnham, changing its callsign.
Monday:
After weekending in Manchester, Burnham requests a pick up by the much larger A321.
6.05 a.m: the A321 leaves Stansted without Burnham.
6.39 a.m: the A321 lands in Manchester to collect Burnham and his wife Marie-France.
8.06 a.m: the A321 leaves Manchester for Antigua, via a refuelling stop in Newfoundland.
Thanks to Burnham’s going to Manchester on Thursday and watching the Everton game, three additional private jet flights took place. And that’s ignoring the old ‘you could take the train’ argument…
The hypocrisy is rank:
Rayner 2022: Liz Truss’ use of the A321 showed “the public exactly quite how little respect this Conservative government has for taxpayers’ money.”
Reeves 2023: “First, we will crack down on Tory ministers’ private jet habit. What is Rishi Sunak so scared of up there in his private jet Meeting a voter? We will enforce the ministerial code on the use of private planes and save millions of pounds for taxpayers in the process.”
Rayner 2023: “The truth is, looking down from his private jet, Rishi Sunak can’t understand why young people can’t get on the housing ladder.”
Labour Press release 2024: “During his time as Prime Minister there was repeated criticism of Rishi Sunak’s use of the taxpayer-funded luxury aircraft for short-haul trips that could have been taken by road or train.”
Travelling by jet is expected from senior government figures, though in the past it was also normal to travel commercial. Why did Labour make such a huge fuss about it then immediately use as many jets as they could all the time?
Krishnan Guru-Murthy asked John Healey: “Just finally, I mean Andy Burnham has been very clear he wants Britain back in the European Union in his lifetime. Do you?”
The Chancellor replied: “I’m older than Andy Burnham. I don’t expect to see that.”
