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The Independent: ‘Air-Miles Margaret’ faces criticism for private flights
Posted on July 22nd, 2005 at 7:45 am
The Environment Secretary was criticised by environmentalists for choosing private jets of the Royal Squadron over Eurostar trains and scheduled flights for 18 trips to Brussels, Berlin, Luxembourg and other European cities.
Lists of ministerial trips released by Downing Street yesterday also showed Tony Blair’s Royal Squadron flights for his Egyptian holiday at Christmas cost the taxpayer £28,683, even though the Blairs paid for their travel costs at commercial rates.
Posted on July 22nd, 2005 at 7:45 am
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2 Comments
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It may be that it would have been more expensive to provide security on a commercial flight than it would have been to use the Royal Squadron and you wouldn’t normally expect Blair to foot his own security bill.
That said, it seems inappropriate that the PM should run up a bill of more than the average person’s annual wage in order to go abroad for a winter holiday, something that few members of the public can afford. Perhaps he should accept that one price of his office is a limitation on foreign holidays. After all, in the ‘War Against Terror’, you need to be prepared to make some sacrifices.
Blair’s just getting a taste for military accessories, like any good little fascist dictator.