The British government has not disclosed the cost of Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s chartered flight to a Caribbean summit, as a Manchester pickup has drawn criticism over the route.
The aircraft departed London Stansted at about 6 a.m. GMT on Nov. 2 carrying officials and pool reporters, but not Burnham. About 30 minutes later it reached Manchester and collected the prime minister and his wife. The plane stayed for about an hour before continuing through Canada to refuel, according to The Guardian and LBC.
A Downing Street spokesperson told The Guardian that officials do not discuss the security and operational factors behind travel decisions. The spokesperson said expenses would be published “in the usual way,” but provided no figure or release date.
A spokesperson for Burnham told The Guardian he had returned to Manchester from Scotland on Friday and worked from No. 10 North that evening. In separate live coverage, The Guardian reported that Downing Street also cited value for money and Burnham’s official business the previous Friday as context for the arrangements.
Conservative shadow Cabinet Office minister Mike Wood criticized the flight, arguing that Labour’s pledge to curb private jet use was inconsistent with the arrangement. The Guardian characterized the dispute as reviving scrutiny of Labour’s earlier criticism of former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s use of aircraft for domestic travel.
The Commonwealth Secretariat lists the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, from Nov. 1-4. EconoTimes previously reported on Burnham’s planned attendance at the Caribbean summit. The Associated Press reported that cultural events began over the weekend and the formal opening ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3; the meeting is due to conclude Nov. 4.
