Related News
UK leader to get his own plane
Print Edition
BRITISH Prime Minister David Cameron and his senior ministers are to get their own airplane for official trips at a cost of around 10 million pounds (US$15 million), the government announced yesterday, just days before the announcement of new public spending cuts.
While many world leaders have their own jets, Cameron either uses a small military plane for short journeys or travels on chartered commercial flights for long-haul trips — posing security and communications problems.
A government spokeswoman said a military air-to-air refueling airplane would be refitted for the role, for about 10 million pounds.
“We have been looking at ways to make better use of the RAF (Royal Air Force) fleet to transport senior ministers and consequently deliver savings for taxpayers,” she said.
“We have decided to adapt one of our existing Voyager aircraft so that, in addition to its primary air tanking role, it can transport ministers.”
The decision, part of a long-term defence spending review, comes as finance minister George Osborne prepares to set out a fresh round of spending cuts next Wednesday in a bid to eliminate the budget deficit.
Previous plans for an American-style ‘Air Force One’ were dropped in 2008 by then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who said they would be too costly.
Twitter users have already been floating possible nicknames for the latest plane, including CamCord and PanCam.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
