Boris Johnson’s £75m ‘Brexit Jet’ has been spotted at RAF Valley today, Thursday 27 January, on the Prime Minister’s visit to North Wales.

 

The PM left London early this morning, before flying to Valley and then visiting Hanson Aggregates in Penmaenmawr.

The Airbus A321 is the second so-called “Brexit Jet” to be acquired by the Government alongside a RAF Voyager Vespina aircraft which was given a £900,000 paint job to ensure it carries the red, white and blue “Global Britain” livery designed to help promote the UK on post-Brexit tours and trade missions abroad. The A321 has been given the same paint job at an undisclosed cost.

The ‘Brexit Jet’ will cost taxpayers up to £75m over five years after it was sourced via the same company in charge of Britain’s Covid hotel quarantine system.

The Cabinet Office confirmed the £15m per annum cost of the plane which is to be used to ferry Prime Minister Boris Johnson, senior ministers and the Royal Family on official engagements around the globe.

When the aircraft was purchased last spring, a government spokesperson said the aircraft ‘will promote a strong image of the role the UK plays on the international stage’ and ‘offers value for money compared to the ad-hoc hire of private planes’.

Mr Johnson’s visit to North Wales comes with the release of Sue Gray’s ‘partygate’ report expected imminently.

Asked how Boris Johnson feels ahead of Sue Gray’s report, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “I think you saw the Prime Minister in the House yesterday talking about what the Government is doing, what he is focused on.

“That absolutely remains the case and that’s why he is getting out today to Wales to look at what work the Government’s doing on things like creating jobs.”

Asked if the Government had been distracted from policymaking by the partygate saga, the spokesman said: “No, we are getting on with the job, as the Prime Minister said yesterday.”

Earlier this month, Plaid Cymru MP for Arfon, Hywel Williams, labelled Mr Johnson a “liar” and called for him to resign.

Virginia Crosbie, Conservative MP for Ynys Môn, said she was on Anglesey on the day of one of the alleged garden parties at 10 Downing Street, and said the investigation should be allowed to take its course.

Photo: Chris Owen