For his trip to Central Asia, David Cameron rented an Embraer Lineage 1000 at an estimated value of 42 million pounds Sterling (approximately 49 million euros, Editor’s note), reports the daily The Guardian on April 29. A choice which sparked strong reactions on social networks.
In five days, the British Foreign Secretary visited Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Mongolia. The purpose of the trip, according to the government, was to promote opportunities for British businesses in the region. He also announced £50 million of new funding to support the sovereignty and independence of Central Asian countries.
To make this trip, David Cameron rented a luxury jet from the charter company Union Aviation. The company’s website lists the luxurious amenities that come with this rental. Union Aviation mentions in particular a selection of wine, chosen by a sommelier, as well as a menu, which would suit “the most demanding passengers”. Additionally, the jet, worth an estimated £42million, has its own dining table and extra-long sofas.
Faced with this opulence, Shadow Attorney General Emily Thornberry was outraged on the social network “but that did not justify paying thousands and thousands of pounds at taxpayers’ expense to rent one of the most luxurious jets on the market.”
Thronberry is not the only one to speak publicly on the subject. The British writer James Melville also made a post about X: “He travels the world like a billionaire, but at the expense of British taxpayers,” he protested.
This is not the first time that a controversy has erupted over the means of transport of British politicians. Cameron’s predecessor James Cleverly was criticized for using the same type of plane last year.