PLANE TWO-FACED
Keir Starmer branded ‘hypocrite’ for taking private jet from Wales to Scotland hours after slamming PM for same thing
Labour have previously said they would slash the use of private jets if elected
SIR Keir Starmer was branded a hypocrite after hiring a private jet to fly from Wales to Scotland to launch his green energy plans.
The climate-conscious Labour chief, 61, took a chartered flight instead of a commercial jet or train – despite repeatedly bashing Rishi Sunak for doing the same thing.
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Asked by The Sun about the fuel-guzzling flight, Starmer admitted: “Yes, we did use a private jet because we needed to get very quickly to Scotland from Wales yesterday.
“We have to use the most efficient form of transport in the middle of a very busy, general election campaign".
The decision to rack up the air miles on a costly charter plane came despite an EasyJet flight from Bristol to Glasgow having more than a dozen seats empty last night.
Tory sources said the move was especially hypocritical as Starmer was in Glasgow promoting Great British Energy - a proposed Labour body which would help the UK transition to net zero.
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Tory chairman Richard Holden said: “Nothing better illustrates Starmerism than the fact Sir Keir has flown on a private jet to Scotland, to launch a stock logo of something u-turning in on itself, for an energy company which won’t produce any energy – that’s not a plan to keep our energy secure and our country protected from Putin.
“Sir Keir was forced to admit today this project is entirely unfunded with the taxpayer picking up the bill with £2,094 in extra taxes.
“Only the Conservatives have a bold plan to secure British energy for the long-term, sticking with the plan which has boosted renewables five-fold, and securing family finances by making sure families aren’t burdened by Labour’s wasteful, uncosted spending spree.”
A Labour spokesman earlier had not denied chartering a plane, adding: “To engage with as many UK voters as possible with our offer of change, the campaign demands efficient travel.
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“All our flights are carbon offset.”
Labour has repeatedly promised to curb the use of "private jets" by government ministers if they are elected in July.
In her speech to Labour’s conference last year, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves attacked the PM’s "private jet habit".
She said Labour would enforce ministerial rules on private aircraft for official trips to "save millions of pounds for taxpayers".
And just hours before Starmer boarded the private flight, Labour’s official TikTok account had posted an image mocking Mr Sunak for using a helicopter to fly from Devon on Wednesday.
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In January, Labour published a blog online branding Sunak as “out-of-touch” and “elitist” for using government planes instead of commercial airlines.
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