Rishi Sunak has flown by helicopter to Southampton and back to London, in the latest short trip the Prime Minister has made by air rather than by car or train.
Downing Street said taking the aircraft to visit a pharmacy on the south coast on Tuesday was justifiable as it made the most effective use of his busy schedule.
The train from Waterloo to Southampton Central takes a little over an hour and a quarter, with an off-peak return costing around £53.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman confirmed Sunak travelled by helicopter and that the trip was funded by the taxpayer.
“As you know, his transport will vary depending on his time, where he’s going to make best use of both his time and an interest of the taxpayer,” the official said.
“Obviously there’s a lot of pressure on his time and he wants to make the most effective use of that time, so sometimes being able to get to and from places quickly is the best use of his time.”
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