UK gets Blair Force too

Prime Minister Tony Blair will get two dedicated aircraft for official visits, his spokesman said on Tuesday, finally allowing him to globetrot in the style U.S. presidents are accustomed to.

No more clunkers for Tony

The funny thing about this is that just a couple of weeks ago Tony’s media folk were all atwitter because he flew cattle class home from a European holiday.

I don’t think his fellow shuttle passengers would have been pleased at the long ‘security check’ delays, but he was making a point.

Travel costs for Brit MPs is always under the microscope, and Tony copped a lashing recently for his humungous bill.

But by providing two ‘second-hand jets, one short-haul, one long-haul,’ and allowing Ma’am and her kin to use them as well, the travel costs can now be neatly hidden, probably somewhere in the secret anti-terrorism budget.

Tony’s ‘officials’ believe the current system under which the premier charters commercial aircraft or uses the Royal Airforce Fleet is inefficient, insecure, costly and inconvenient.

The opposition believes: "This reinforces the impression of a government which is out of touch with the real world, and is too concerned with the trappings of office rather than getting on with the job."

Oh well, it will be a nice legacy for whoever gets to take over 10 Downing Street. That event seems to be approaching faster than a short haul jet!