No 10 defends flight to Caribbean going via Manchester to pick up Burnham

The Guardian World Monday 02 November 2026, 14:24 UTC By Peter Walker Senior political correspondent 1 min read

Key Points

Critics decry ‘Air Miles Andy’ after plane that took off from Stansted diverted to collect prime minister and wifeA government-chartered plane taking Andy Burnham to a Commonwealth summit in the Caribbean made a stop-off in Manchester to collect him Downing Street has said. The decision, which will have been more financially and environmentally costly than if the prime minister had travelled to London, leaves him open to accusations of hypocrisy after Labour repeatedly criticised Rishi Sunak...

Critics decry ‘Air Miles Andy’ after plane that took off from Stansted diverted to collect prime minister and wife

A government-chartered plane taking Andy Burnham to a Commonwealth summit in the Caribbean made a stop-off in Manchester to collect him Downing Street has said.

The decision, which will have been more financially and environmentally costly than if the prime minister had travelled to London, leaves him open to accusations of hypocrisy after Labour repeatedly criticised Rishi Sunak for his use of private planes and helicopters for domestic travel when he was PM.

Caribbean (LOCATION) Manchester (LOCATION) Burnham Critics (ORG) Stansted (ORG) Andy Burnham (PERSON) Commonwealth (ORG) Downing Street (LOCATION) London (LOCATION) Labour (ORG) Rishi Sunak (PERSON)

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No 10 defends flight to Caribbean going via Manchester to pick up Burnham

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