Boris Johnson sent for his official ministerial jet to fly home after a seaside jaunt with wife Carrie and their children.
The Tory PM was last night accused of using government planes as his “personal taxi service”.
The trip came the weekend before his embarrassing defeat in the Tiverton by-election, when the Prime Minister was snapped enjoying a day on the beach with Mrs Johnson.
Mr Johnson is said to have spent the “whole weekend” campaigning ahead of the crunch vote, which saw the Tories lose the seat to the Lib Dems for the first time in a century.
Ministers are usually prohibited from using official jets, paid for by the taxpayer, for party political visits.
But the Sunday Mirror has established an official Government plane, complete with United Kingdom livery and the tail number G-GBNI, was despatched from London to Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, a helicopter base near the village of Goonhusband, early on the morning of Monday 13 June.
It returned to London shortly after 10am.
This is consistent with the Tory leader’s schedule that day, which saw him finish up a visit to a farm in nearby Hayle at 9.30am.
Emily Thornberry, Labour ’s shadow Attorney General, said: “While the rest of Britain is struggling to pay the bills, Boris Johnson keeps living the high life at public expense.
“Once again, he’s been caught treating the government’s official plane as his personal taxi service, regardless of what it costs the environment or the taxpayer.
“It’s the act of a man drunk on power, who needs to be told he’s had enough.”
The Ministerial Code, which was refreshed by Mr Johnson just last month, states: “Ministers must ensure that they always make efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements.
“Official transport should not normally be used for travel arrangements arising from Party or private business, except where this is justified on security grounds.”
It goes on to say the travel expenses of a Minister’s spouse should only be covered if it is “clearly in the public interest” for them to accompany the Minister.
The decision on whether the taxpayer should cover such costs is down to the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister travelled to Cornwall on Friday 10th June, when he met punters at the Royal Cornwall Show.He later visited a farm in the Tiverton and Honiton constituency with candidate Helen Hurford.
It’s not known how Mr Johnson travelled down from London, but he was seen driving through Devon on the morning of Friday 10th June.
During the weekend holidaymakers snapped the PM enjoying the sun on St Ives beach.
On the morning of Monday 13th June, Mr Johnson told reporters he’d been in Devon “all weekend”, including meeting Tory supporters in Seaton.
A Number 10 Spokesperson said: “All travel decisions are made with consideration for security and time restraints.
"The PM is accompanied on government business by a delegation of staff, which is taken into consideration as part of ensuring taxpayer value for money.
"This was the sole reason for the plane being used to transport the PM and his staff back from this particular visit.”
