The Prime Minister’s summer of globetrotting cost taxpayers almost £700,000, it was revealed yesterday.
Keir Starmer went on nine jaunts during his first three months in office, spending an estimated 62 hours in the air.
Transparency data published by the Cabinet Office shows the total price tag for the trips was £697,198, putting the cost per hour at more than £11,000.
His first journey was to a Nato summit in Washington just days after he won the general election in July.
The newly-published details state that he was accompanied by his wife along with 24 officials on the Government’s own plane – at a total cost of £128,346.
Soon afterwards, he went to the Euro 2024 football championships final in Berlin, again accompanied by Lady Starmer as well as six members of staff.
Sir Keir then went on separate flights to the Olympics and Paralympics opening ceremonies in Paris before travelling again to Berlin for a meeting with chancellor Olaf Scholz.
In September, the Prime Minister flew to Dublin, went back to Washington to see Joe Biden in the White House and then met Giorgia Meloni in Rome. His final trip of the month saw him attend the UN General Assembly in New York on a trip with 24 officials that cost £236,020 in total.
Sir Keir Starmer’s summer of flying last year cost taxpayers a total of £697,198 – more than £11,000 per hour
The Prime Minister went on nine jaunts during his first three months in office, spending an estimated 62 hours in the air
Sir Keir and his wife Victoria disembarking from a plane on arrival in Washington DC in July last year
The PM at a leader’s retreat during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa in October
Sir Keir in Rio de Janeiro in November. Official costs have yet to be published of the PM’s further travels last autumn
Official costs have not yet been published of his further travels during the autumn which led to him being dubbed ‘Never Here Keir’, despite increasing taxes on air fares.
Government sources believe Sir Keir’s travel costs are comparable to those of his Conservative predecessors.
One insider said: ‘These were important international engagements where the Prime Minister flew the flag for Britain.’
Last year it emerged Labour ministers will continue to travel by helicopter despite having previously branded the Tories ‘out of touch’ for doing so
