Keir Starmer scraps Rishi Sunak's £40m government-funded helicopter contract

Rishi Sunak's government helicopter is getting the chop as Sir Keir Starmer plans to scrap the £40 million contract.

The former prime minister was regularly criticised during his premiership for using government-funded helicopters to fly within the UK instead of opting for cheaper and more eco-friendly options.

Downing Street and the Ministry of Defence are now poised to axe the contract, after a Labour source said it is a "grossly wasteful" symbol of the “totally out of touch” Conservatives.

“The Tories’ VIP helicopter service became a symbol of their government: grossly wasteful, head in the clouds, and totally out of touch with the problems facing the rest of the country," a Labour source said.

The government was previously paying a £40 million contract to have access to a number of Agusta Westland helicopters at the disposal of the prime minister and other politicians.

It is the latest move by the new Labour administration to distance itself as much as possible from the previous government.

Sir Keir vowed on Tuesday morning that when Parliament returns next week, "the business of politics will resume, but it will not be business as usual".

The prime minister also hit out at the £22 billion black hole in public finances he claimed the Conservatives left to his administration - something, he says, they had not expected and that October's Budget is going to be "painful".

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Sunak faced backlash for opting to use choppers instead of more environmentally friendly options. He once used the helicopter for a journey to Southampton which would have taken an hour on the train.

His spokesperson had said the trip was justified because it helped the then-prime minister make the best use of his time in light of his busy schedule.

Labour, who previously accused Sunak of using "Britain’s most expensive taxi service", said ministers will now only travel in helicopters when absolutely necessary.

The contract runs out in December and the prime minister's spokesperson confirmed it will not be renewed.

They said the decision has been taken to ensure the government is always securing value for money for taxpayers.

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