UK PM Rishi Sunak’s taxpayer funded helicopter ride draws flak after local elections defeat

UK prime minister Rishi Sunak flew to the country’s south coast and back by taxpayer funded helicopter ride on Tuesday morning and displayed his fondness for short-distance air travel yet again.

The trip would have taken over an hour by train with a charge of £30 for a return fare, whereas an equivalent private flight costs £6,000 return.

Sunak visited a pharmacy in Southampton to announce government plans for chemists to provide prescriptions for millions of patients in England, reported the Guardian.

Sunak’s spokesperson has previously said his travel arrangements made the “most effective use of his time”. The spokesman defended the helicopter trip, saying: “His transport will vary depending on his time and where he’s going to make the best use of both his time and in the interest of the taxpayer.

“Obviously there’s a lot of pressure on his time and he wants to make the most effective use of that time. Sometimes being able to get to and from places quickly is useful.”

The helicopter trip is likely to add to the public perception that Sunak, who has a net worth of £730m, is out of touch with everyday concerns, the outlet reported.

Sunak told reporters in Southampton that last week’s local elections were “obviously disappointing” as the Conservative party lost more than 1,000 council seats, worse than their lowest expectations – but insisted his priorities were right for the country.

In January, he took a taxpayer-funded private jet to Scotland to launch “green” tax breaks. He also used the plane to make short trips to Blackpool and Leeds, reported the Mirror.