Rishi Sunak accused of 'extravagance' by taking private plane to Leeds

Mr Sunak was pictured boarding an RAF plane to West Yorkshire on Monday, after which he spoke to staff and patients at the Rutland Lodge Medical Practice in Chapel Allerton.

His trip was part of the Government’s announcement to move patients out of hospitals by buying up capacity in the social care sector.

No 10 said that the decision was the “most effective use of his time” as there was a “great deal of pressure on his schedule”.

Though it has not been confirmed where Mr Sunak flew from, a journey from London to Leeds would have taken around two-and-a-half hours by train.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The transport the Prime Minister takes will vary and will always be done in the interest of what is the most effective use of his time, enabling him to get around the entirety of the UK when there is a great deal of pressure on his time.

“It will vary (depending) on what is the most appropriate use.”

In July last year the Government set out a Jet Zero strategy, containing plans for creating a net zero aviation sector, and included proposals for making travellers more aware of emissions.

Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, called on Mr Sunak to reveal how much money was “wasted” on what Labour calculated was a flight lasting just over half-an-hour.

“Families will be rightly angered by this show of extravagance by Rishi Sunak,” she said.

“Patients and staff are crying out for action from this Government in the midst of a crisis in our NHS while the Prime Minister jets from London to Leeds for a photo op.

“The Prime Minister must come clean about how much taxpayers’ money was wasted on this 36-minute plane journey for a three-hour visit at the height of a cost-of-living crisis.”The decision by the Prime Minister comes amid months of rail chaos across the North, with strikes, cancellations and late services causing major disruption for commuters and those travelling to see loved ones over the Christmas period.

Veronica Hawking, Head of Campaigns at 38 Degrees, said: “Our Prime Minister apparently thinks the most efficient way to get to Leeds from London is by saddling the taxpayer with an eye-watering bill for a polluting private jet.

“That’s a damning indictment of the shambolic state of our train services and infrastructure, which ordinary people here in Yorkshire - including in Rishi Sunak’s own constituency - have little choice but to put up with. We don’t have the luxury of turning to a private jet instead.

“Over 17,000 people have signed our petition calling for an end to train chaos in the North, and hundreds have shared the impact that constant cancellations, delays and overcrowding are having on their lives.

“All of us should be able to travel up and down the country quickly and efficiently - whether for work commitments or to visit loved ones. But for those of us without access to RAF jets, a properly resourced, functioning rail service is the only real answer. It’s time for Rishi Sunak and his government to actually deliver one.”