Rachel Reeves embroiled in hypocrisy row for flying business class to New York - The Telegraph

Labour's shadow chancellor has been accused of hypocrisy for flying business class to New York.

Rachel Reeves tweeted a picture of her British Airways ticket on Sunday, before swiftly deleting it.

But eagle-eyed social media users had already noticed that her seat number was visible on the ticket, revealing she was in seat 3K, which is in BA's Club World business class suite, costing around £4,000.

It comes just weeks after Labour criticised Government ministers for living a "five-star luxury lifestyle" of international trips and hotel stays.

Tory MPs have now accused the Labour frontbencher of trying to "pull the wool over people's eyes".

'One rule for them'

Mark Jenkinson, the Conservative MP for Workington, told The Telegraph: "Imagine the uproar from the Labour party, not only if a party donor had paid to upgrade a minister’s travel to business class, but if said minister had then tried to pull the wool over people’s eyes.

"As always for Labour, it’s one rule for them and one for everybody else."

Rachel Reeves swiftly deleted her tweet after it showed her seat number

Brendan Clarke-Smith, the Tory MP for Bassetlaw, accused Labour of "hypocrisy", days after Left-wing activists attacked him on social media for suggesting that shoppers buy supermarket-branded baked beans if Heinz versions were rising in price too sharply.

He told The Telegraph: "Start spreading the news. When it comes to luxury travel, with Labour they still expect to be top of the list - it’s a case of do as I say, not as I do.

"Whilst they claim they want to make a brand new start of it, when it comes down to it, to be frank, they are still the same old hypocrites they’ve always been."

'Luxury' experience

British Airways' business class cabin is branded as a "luxury" experience, including a private lounge at the airport, a spacious seat and bed, as well as a "delicious" three-course meal.

It is understood that Ms Reeves flew on a Boeing 777-236 British Airways plane on Sunday afternoon from London to New York.

In January, Angela Rayner, Labour's deputy leader, took aim at Rishi Sunak for "jetting around the country on taxpayers' money like an A-list celeb" after he used a French-made RAF jet for a 41-minute trip from London to Blackpool.

Last month, Ms Rayner also denounced ministers for living a "five-star luxury lifestyle" while "families up and down the country are sick with anxiety about whether their pay cheque will cover the weekly shop", after Government spending revealed five-star hotel stays.

"A Labour government will get tough on waste," she said.

Labour has been contacted for comment.  

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2023-05-22 08:23:00Z
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