Ministerial taxi service
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Ministerial taxi service
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4900580.stm
The profligacy of the trough-snouts truly knows no bounds. The question is: does the RAF pay for this or do the politicians get asked for their own UIN?
The hypocricy of Beckett is particularly noteworthy - environment secretary, my foot!
The profligacy of the trough-snouts truly knows no bounds. The question is: does the RAF pay for this or do the politicians get asked for their own UIN?
The hypocricy of Beckett is particularly noteworthy - environment secretary, my foot!
Ministers' RAF flights revealed
Tony Blair was flown in RAF jets 299 times, at a cost of £467,000, between June 2001 and February 2005, figures have revealed.
Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett took 106 RAF flights between 2002 and 2004 the figures show - including many to East Midlands airport near her home.
Officials say the flights are cheaper than buying tickets on commercial airlines and meet ministerial rules.
But the Conservatives said most people would be "astonished" at the news.
Conservative transport spokesman Chris Grayling said: "I think most people will be astonished at the way ministers seem to be using the Queen's Flight as a private taxi service.
"Ministers, including Gordon Brown, have been using it for short hops to Brussels, Margaret Beckett has been using it to drop her home in the East Midlands and the prime minister has been taking it on holiday with him.
"Of course ministers will always need to use official aircraft on occasions but these figures create the sense that the system is being abused."
But a Downing Street spokesman said Tory prime ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major had always used RAF flights for their holidays.
"In fact, Tony Blair is the first prime minister in recent years to use commercial flights, having done so for his holidays since 2000, other than one occasion where security advice was to the contrary."
The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said many of Mrs Beckett's meetings in Brussels "often end at unpredictable hours in the middle of the night when there is no alternative transport available".
The spokesman added that "returning to the UK immediately allows attendance at high level meetings early the next morning and represents savings on hotel accommodation".
The environment department spokesman added: "Conscious of the environmental impact of aviation, all ministerial flights during the EU presidency last year were carbon offset as were emissions from all other sources."
Tony Blair was flown in RAF jets 299 times, at a cost of £467,000, between June 2001 and February 2005, figures have revealed.
Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett took 106 RAF flights between 2002 and 2004 the figures show - including many to East Midlands airport near her home.
Officials say the flights are cheaper than buying tickets on commercial airlines and meet ministerial rules.
But the Conservatives said most people would be "astonished" at the news.
Conservative transport spokesman Chris Grayling said: "I think most people will be astonished at the way ministers seem to be using the Queen's Flight as a private taxi service.
"Ministers, including Gordon Brown, have been using it for short hops to Brussels, Margaret Beckett has been using it to drop her home in the East Midlands and the prime minister has been taking it on holiday with him.
"Of course ministers will always need to use official aircraft on occasions but these figures create the sense that the system is being abused."
But a Downing Street spokesman said Tory prime ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major had always used RAF flights for their holidays.
"In fact, Tony Blair is the first prime minister in recent years to use commercial flights, having done so for his holidays since 2000, other than one occasion where security advice was to the contrary."
The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said many of Mrs Beckett's meetings in Brussels "often end at unpredictable hours in the middle of the night when there is no alternative transport available".
The spokesman added that "returning to the UK immediately allows attendance at high level meetings early the next morning and represents savings on hotel accommodation".
The environment department spokesman added: "Conscious of the environmental impact of aviation, all ministerial flights during the EU presidency last year were carbon offset as were emissions from all other sources."
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Reported just the other day
All 3 parties always end mired in the same sort of sleaze,
Conservatives caught with hand in other woman's knickers
Liberals caught with hand in other man's Y fronts
Labour caught with hand in everyone's pockets, tills, pension funds etc
All 3 parties always end mired in the same sort of sleaze,
Conservatives caught with hand in other woman's knickers
Liberals caught with hand in other man's Y fronts
Labour caught with hand in everyone's pockets, tills, pension funds etc
Red On, Green On
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" all ministerial flights during the EU presidency last year were carbon offset as were emissions from all other sources."
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One word ...
B******S.
Ditto times two to the power of ten.
Sometimes, the Bliarites really surpass themeselves with quotes like.
The environment department spokesman added: "Conscious of the environmental impact of aviation, all ministerial flights during the EU presidency last year were carbon offset as were emissions from all other sources."
And,
"Of course ministers will always need to use official aircraft on occasions but these figures create the sense that the system is being abused."
And,
"Of course ministers will always need to use official aircraft on occasions but these figures create the sense that the system is being abused."
Try telling that to the airmen, troops and naval types as well as entitled families ,who have been left stranded at OOA deployments and postings at the expense of corrupt, using, selfish ministers, who then turn around to praise " our hard working troops and their supporting families."
If this is New Labour, Mr Bliar, why doesn't anyone in the forces vote for you?
Because we never did and seeing the spin and rhetoric on JTG's
post, we never will.
The Labour Party.
Education, Education, Education.
More like Corruption, Corruption, Corruption.
Coupled with,
A lot of "anti mil, but we love you really, go and die for our ego" thrown in.
I am not political and although this is a rant, I hope I won't be banned from this site for expressing my anger at the idiots who use and abuse US.
Sorry in advance.
Or have I just become a victim of political correctness at the behest of common sense and feeling.
Talk Wrench
B******S.
Ditto times two to the power of ten.
Sometimes, the Bliarites really surpass themeselves with quotes like.
The environment department spokesman added: "Conscious of the environmental impact of aviation, all ministerial flights during the EU presidency last year were carbon offset as were emissions from all other sources."
And,
"Of course ministers will always need to use official aircraft on occasions but these figures create the sense that the system is being abused."
And,
"Of course ministers will always need to use official aircraft on occasions but these figures create the sense that the system is being abused."
Try telling that to the airmen, troops and naval types as well as entitled families ,who have been left stranded at OOA deployments and postings at the expense of corrupt, using, selfish ministers, who then turn around to praise " our hard working troops and their supporting families."
If this is New Labour, Mr Bliar, why doesn't anyone in the forces vote for you?
Because we never did and seeing the spin and rhetoric on JTG's
post, we never will.
The Labour Party.
Education, Education, Education.
More like Corruption, Corruption, Corruption.
Coupled with,
A lot of "anti mil, but we love you really, go and die for our ego" thrown in.
I am not political and although this is a rant, I hope I won't be banned from this site for expressing my anger at the idiots who use and abuse US.
Sorry in advance.
Or have I just become a victim of political correctness at the behest of common sense and feeling.
Talk Wrench
The environment department spokesman added: "Conscious of the environmental impact of aviation, all ministerial flights during the EU presidency last year were carbon offset as were emissions from all other sources."
If they just shut up for once, even for only 5 minutes, that would help the environment no end. And I could remove my ear plugs and stop feeling nauseous. Rant off.
Last edited by Melchett01; 11th Apr 2006 at 21:34.
Well the NZ Prime Minister with two of her top Ministers, her PA and 2 police types arrived here in my little town in an Air New Zealand Link Beech 1900 along with 13 other fare paying passengers.....no police outside no security, not even the mayor, she mixed with the other punters in the terminal, we don't have seperate arrivals and departures......4 hours later the same thing both on scheduled flights and both arrived/departed within 5 mins of their allocated times......as one of the locals here put it....."we dont put anyone on a pedestal here"........what a nice pleasant change it was...she then visited the local school still with no banners or people screaming "get out of the way PM approaching".........Can you ever see Blair doing that!!!!
Happy days
Happy days
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Talk Wrench,
I could not agree with you more old man, it is an utter disgrace and I am ashamed at the open abuse our politicans abuse our servicemen and women.
Funny how they allrely on the services for 'their' jollies, and yet when it comes to pay review time for you chaps, its a somewhat different opinion they have of you.
Shame on you Bliar and all your corrupt cronies.
The Winco
I could not agree with you more old man, it is an utter disgrace and I am ashamed at the open abuse our politicans abuse our servicemen and women.
Funny how they allrely on the services for 'their' jollies, and yet when it comes to pay review time for you chaps, its a somewhat different opinion they have of you.
Shame on you Bliar and all your corrupt cronies.
The Winco
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I can't see aproblem with this. Its keeping us in a job...and how else are our elected leaders expected to travel?
At least Mr Blair isn't using these flights to go on holiday like the Tories used to.
At least Mr Blair isn't using these flights to go on holiday like the Tories used to.
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RAFLOO
do you really think its keeping us in a job?
It might be keeping one tiny part of one tiny sqn in a job, but for the rest of the RAF, its just a drain on their already depleted and overstreched aircrew and groundcrew.
Let the ba$tards pay out of their own money, or join the queue like the rest of us at Heathrow!
Kind regards
TSM
do you really think its keeping us in a job?
It might be keeping one tiny part of one tiny sqn in a job, but for the rest of the RAF, its just a drain on their already depleted and overstreched aircrew and groundcrew.
Let the ba$tards pay out of their own money, or join the queue like the rest of us at Heathrow!
Kind regards
TSM
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Originally Posted by airborne_artist
Just what does this mean in real English? What a load of c@ck
"UK emited XXXXXX Tons of carbon in 1999. Now we have emitted XXXXXX-y. My flight to Brussels was equivalent to y-z therefore our emission level of XXXXXX-y+z represents a saving of carbon emission of y-z."
In real speak, we actually wasted z-tons of carbon.
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Officials say the flights are cheaper than buying tickets on commercial airlines...
Conscious of the environmental impact of aviation, all ministerial flights during the EU presidency last year were carbon offset as were emissions from all other sources.
The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said many of Mrs Beckett's meetings in Brussels "often end at unpredictable hours in the middle of the night when there is no alternative transport available". ..."returning to the UK immediately allows attendance at high level meetings early the next morning and represents savings on hotel accommodation".
But I don't know why we're wasting breath or bandwidth on this lot - they are not in the slightest bit interested in public opinion, and will do what they want anyway. That's the trouble with having a government with no standards and a big majority. Centralised rule by fear keeps the back benchers in line.
Jackonico - any of your colleagues want to run an article with the real figures?
So snout in the trough it is then + spin... Bolleaux!
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I read an article on-line this am which I now can not find which justified using the Royal Squadron for Ministers on cost grounds. Brown + six hangers-on return to Brussels was priced at £1,300, with Eurostar costing £1,750. I can't believe that MoD is doing its costings/prices correctly if it can own, crew, maintain and fly a 146 for £650/hr. A Bell 206 costs £350/hr, without a pilot!
1st, an admission, my unit managed to get a Royal Flight 146 as a bit of a reward for the lads post deployment etc etc, so I may be biased....
2nd, working on the basis the Flight would've been maintained, the Pilots paid etc regardless if it was flying or not. Therefore, the only addition cost would've been the fuel used. Now, being a matelot and not a WAFU type, how much would the fuel alone cost?
3rd, I have to say anything like the Royal Flight (and the Royal Yacht) is on a use it or loose it basis. If we only allowed the major Royals to use it, on official business, then how on earth could be justify it? And despite your feelings on the present incumbents, they are respectively the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer (in case you'd forgotten!) of this country - the post itself deserves the use of the Royal Flight.
2nd, working on the basis the Flight would've been maintained, the Pilots paid etc regardless if it was flying or not. Therefore, the only addition cost would've been the fuel used. Now, being a matelot and not a WAFU type, how much would the fuel alone cost?
3rd, I have to say anything like the Royal Flight (and the Royal Yacht) is on a use it or loose it basis. If we only allowed the major Royals to use it, on official business, then how on earth could be justify it? And despite your feelings on the present incumbents, they are respectively the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer (in case you'd forgotten!) of this country - the post itself deserves the use of the Royal Flight.
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2nd, working on the basis the Flight would've been maintained, the Pilots paid etc regardless if it was flying or not. Therefore, the only addition cost would've been the fuel used. Now, being a matelot and not a WAFU type, how much would the fuel alone cost?