British Foreign Secretary David Cameron criticised for hiring luxury jet for Central Asia tour: Report

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron faces criticism after he travelled in a luxury private jet for a five-day diplomatic tour around Central Asia, British media reported on Sunday (Apr 28). Foreign Secretary Cameron hired the Embraer Lineage 1000 worth $52.6 million (around £42 million) for this tour. A report by Mirror on Sunday said that the private jet has a dining table, and extra-long sofas, and can accommodate 19 passengers. 

During the tour, Cameron made stops in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Mongolia, with the government saying the foreign secretary wanted to increase engagement with this pivotal region.

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Cameron's predecessor James Cleverly used the same type of aircraft during a week-long tour of the Caribbean and Latin America last year. 

The criticism: Acting like Kardashian sisters

Speaking to the Mirror, Labour MP Emily Thornberry said, "Sometimes, on a trip like this, ministers will need to use non-scheduled flights, and if the government's dedicated RAF jets are unavailable, they may have to charter a plane. That is all fine, but in no world do those circumstances justify hiring one of the most expensive, most luxurious private jets on the market to ferry the Foreign Secretary around Central Asia. "

Thornberry said that Cleverly was caught spending around $528,000 on the same type of jet. But instead of learning from that debacle, Cameron used it as a template, she added.

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"They are public servants, and they're supposed to use taxpayers' money as carefully as possible, not swan around the world like a pair of Kardashian sisters at the British public's expense," the Labour MP further said.

Foreign office reacts

A foreign office spokesperson said that a foreign secretary's job (in this case David Cameron) requires him to travel overseas to pursue the United Kingdom's (UK) interests. 

"This was the most time-effective way to do this in this instance. Value for money is taken into account in all travel decisions and costs are routinely published for transparency,” the office added. 

(With inputs from agencies)