DOWNING Street has confirmed the Prime Minister’s grey RAF Voyager jet is to be repainted in Union flag colours at a cost of nearly £1 million.
Boris Johnson’s plane, which is shared by senior Cabinet members and the royal family, will be painted red, white and blue at an airport in Cambridge.
A defence source has said: “Boris doesn’t like it being grey. He is getting it painted up.”
In 2018 Johnson spoke out about the plane’s grey colour and said he would like a “Brexit plane” to help him travel around promoting the UK Government’s vision of global Britain.
READ MORE: Boris Johnson branded 'trash act' as jet gets 'Union flag makeover'
A source also told the Daily Mail: “It’s going to be a Voyager with a paint job. Boris and others will use it to go around the world and wave the British flag.”
They denied that the plane will be “a flying Union Jack”, stating: “It won't be the whole of the airplane, it will be a part of it.”
A Number 10 source was asked about the £900,000 price tag of the paint job – and said: “At every stage, we have undertaken to ensure value for money.”
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford today hit out at the Prime Minister over the plans. He told MPs: “This Tory Government has seen a decade of austerity that his driven people into poverty, that has scrapped child poverty targets.
“Rather than reversing the damaging policies, they have pushed millions into poverty. The Prime Minister is more interested in finding money to spend on his own vanity project – a luxury VIP plane.”
SNP defence spokesperson Stewart McDonald said the Prime Minister was imitating Donald Trump after the US president recently unveiled plans to redesign Air Force One.
added: “It is beyond shameful that Boris Johnson vigorously fought calls to prevent children receiving free school meals – before eventually caving – he continues to resist calls to strengthen financial support for struggling families, households and workers during this crisis, and cuts international aid support - yet is intent on wasting nearly £1m of taxpayers’ money to repaint his private plane red, white and blue.
“This is an utterly unacceptable use of public funds whilst members of the Armed Forces are spending their own money on uniforms and kit, and the equipment plan deficit is well into the billions for several years running.
"Boris Johnson is taking yet another page out of the Trumpian playbook with this cynical move – distracting from the reality of his government and chief advisor's conduct over the past few months.
“The Prime Minister is detached from the difficulties facing ordinary families and has abandoned any attempt to act in the interests of people across the UK.”
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