Tony Blair and the Queen are to have two dedicated aircraft to fly them on official visits at a cost of £12.3 million-a-year, Downing Street announced last night.
The prospect of a dedicated aircraft for the Prime Minister has been the source of debate since the 1980s and No 10, under successive premiers, has viewed with envy other leaders' well-fitted planes.
Mr Blair has arrived abroad recently in foreign-chartered aircraft - in one case bearing an Austrian flag.
Downing Street said: "It's not at all good to see leading British politicians, including the Prime Minister, going to foreign events in planes hired from foreign countries.
"It's inefficient, it's insecure and the cost of the present system rises all the time."
Officials said the Queen would have first call on the planes, but stressed that Buckingham Palace, No 10 and other government departments would be charged the equivalent cost of chartering the plane, not just fuel and staffing costs.
(Courtesy of the Daily Telegraph and Matt)
Can I have one too. I feel the need to fly abroad on a 'fact finding' tour.