Rishi Sunak criticised for diverted RAF plane to fly to Rome from the North East after Yarm Visit

The Government has insisted no rules were broken when an RAF jet was used to take the Prime Minister from an airfield close to his constituency home in North Yorkshire to Italy yesterday.

Downing Street's response comes after Labour Party chair Anneliese Dodds described the flight as "outrageous" accusing the Prime Minister of sending "an empty taxpayer-funded RAF jet to pick him up from a campaign visit".

Rishi Sunak was in Yarm for a Conservative campaign event on Friday, then stayed at his constituency home near Northallerton, before being flown to meet the Italian PM and speak at a conference in Rome.

The ministerial code says that "non-scheduled flights must not be diverted for journeys to or from party business or constituency visits".

Exceptions can be made when the time factor is critical but only when "the only extra cost results from the extra flying time needed to carry out the additional landing and take-off."

However the Government has insisted that no rules were broken.

A Government spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister regularly uses all forms of travel.

"His travel plans will vary and are always decided with consideration to the most efficient and best use of his time, and the interests of the taxpayer, in full accordance with the ministerial code and in line with established practice.”

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