The first glimpse of the Prime Minister’s new plane could be seen today after it left an airfield in Cambridgeshire after getting a new Brexit paint job.
The former grey RAF Voyager jet took to the skies after receiving new livery which one defence source described as being like something “from Austin Powers”.
Ministers hope the new design will help boost ‘Brand Britain’ abroad, although opposition MPs reacted furiously to the needless expense.
Acting Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey tweeted: “The drug dexamethasone, that can potentially save the lives of people with coronavirus, costs £5 per patient.
“Boris Johnson could have bought 180,000 doses of that, but instead he’s painting a flag on a plane.”
Labour MP Emma Hardy said: “For goodness sake. Please can we have a grown up as a Prime Minister instead of a child.”
And her party colleague Justin Madders tweeted: “What’s he painting it with, gold leaf?”
But the Prime Minister’s official spokesman pointed out that the PM was not the only who uses the jet.
He said: “The RAF Voyager used by the royal family and the Prime Minister is currently in Cambridgeshire for pre-planned repainting.
“This will mean that the plane can better represent the UK around the world with national branding, similar to many other leaders’ planes, while also retaining its military air-to-air refuelling capability.”
The spokesman defended the £900,000 cost, telling reporters: “That incorporates the cost of creating a design that will promote the UK around the world without compromising the plane’s vital military role.
“At every stage we have worked to ensure value for money for the UK taxpayer and all of the work has been undertaken in the UK, directly benefiting British suppliers.”
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