Wednesday 14 March 2012

Cost effective travel

With all the 'journalistic hype' that has been written about Cameron's jaunt to meet Obama there is one aspect which I do not seem to have read about.
We can, no doubt, assume (hopefully) that the media 'footed the bill' for their correspondents who covered this jaunt - their air fares, hotel bills, food etc; but this then leaves the bill for Cameron, his wife; his political 'entourage'; plus probably Sam's hairdresser and her 'assistants'.
As this country does not possess a 'Camerforce One', this jaunt was either undertaken on a scheduled flight or one chartered. Which? It can be assumed that if a scheduled flight, then Cameron et entourage did not travel economy or business class. In which case how much of the first class accommodation was booked and who for? If a chartered flight, the same questions arise.
We are told that all travel is based on the most cost effective method - however, that raises yet another question, namely cost effective for those involved or cost effective for the taxpayer who funded this jaunt?
Of course if we had the 'Referism' element of direct democracy Cameron would have had to seek prior approval from us for the expenditure involved - to which I would suggest the answer that should have been given was: "You keep informing us you are one of those who can walk on water - prove it!"

5 comments:

TomTom said...

They charge the journalists for the flight so the BBC Licence Payers fund the flight

WitteringsfromWitney said...

TT: Realised about the BBC natch.

andy5759 said...

I think that we must accept the fact that our Premier is going to visit other countries occasionally. For him to travel steerage would reflect poorly on this once great nation. Providing that the media circus paid their own way, I am not too bothered about the cost of showing off a little bit. This does not mean that I either like our political classes nor support their excesses.

WitteringsfromWitney said...

a5759: As TT pointed out above the BBC, we pay for that too.

I accept your point about some visits being necessary, but hows about asking us for the money? Referism? Failing which, if they wont then their only other option is to prove that they have divine gifts!

TomTom said...

For him to travel steerage would reflect poorly on this once great nation

Really ? I do not understand why Cameron has a jaunt with his wife (I bet Mary Wilson never went to Washington) and Osborne....was there a Budget planned for next week ?

We are of course "all in this together" especially when it comes to FINANCIAL REPRESSION or what Max Keiser calls "Financial Terrorism"