DEPUTY prime minister Dominic Raab spent £23,000 on a private plane flight which took just an hour, according to a report.
The Sun writes that Raab, who is currently facing a bullying investigation following a string of allegations, chartered the jet for himself and nine officials to get back to the UK from the Hague in the Netherlands earlier in the year.
This is despite minsters being under rules to use regular commercial flights wherever possible.
The newspaper writes that Raab used the plane to convene a group of allies to look into Russian war crimes.
A source close to the deputy PM said: “The flight was taken in order that the deputy prime minister, on behalf of the UK, could convene a large group of international allies to provide the International Criminal Court with the support, funding, and technical assistance to begin evidence gathering for the alleged war crimes committed by Russia.”
At his deputy’s request. Sunak has appointed a top employment barrister to privately probe two bullying complaints against Raab.
No 10 has previously insisted Raab still has the full confidence of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak while the deputy PM has said he has always adhered to the ministerial code and “behaved professionally”.
Labour’s shadow justice secretary slammed Raab for the claims regarding the private plane.
He said: “While the Tories punish the public with more taxes and broken public services, Dominic Raab is ferrying himself around the world in first class at the taxpayers’ expense.
“He is out of touch and has no respect for taxpayers’ cash.”
A Ministry of Justice Spokesperson said: “Chartered flights are only used in very rare circumstances where commercial flights are not suitable or unavailable.
“In this case, a charted flight was used at short notice to enable the DPM to lead a delegation of international allies in supporting the International Criminal Court to investigate war crimes in Ukraine. Due to other diary commitments, commercial options were not suitable.”
Raab has been contacted for comment.
