Figures have emerged that have led to Jo Swinson being labelled as a climate change “hypocrite”. Ms Swinson has planned to levy taxes on frequent fliers, but frequently flying herself. A check of the Lib Dem leader’s expenses ranging from the summer of 2017 until January 2019 shows that Ms Swinson has claimed for 77 flights to and from her Scottish constituency to Westminster costing a total cost of £9,435. In contrast to this Ms Swinson took 23 rail journeys in the same period at a cost of £2,766.
The Conservative parliamentary candidate David Morris has slammed the figures saying: “Jo Swinson poses as some goody-two-shoes who’s saving the planet but her own record shows she’s a hypocrite on this count. It is bare-faced cheek to pretend to be a climate change champion but then prefer the plane over the train to get to her constituency when there’s a perfectly good rail service”. The figures are being interpreted in the context of the Lib Dem’s so-called ‘green levy’.
The Daily Mail originally broke these revelations regarding Ms Swinson which show the outspoken Remainer choosing to fly three times more often than using the train. In last week’s Lid Dem manifesto Ms Swinson’s stated that the levy would raise more than a billion pounds extra a year in air passenger duty by targeting the most frequent international travellers. The manifesto contained a pledge to “reduce the climate change impact of flying by reforming the taxation of international flights to focus on those who fly the most”.
Ms Swinson defended her travel decisions insisting the current London to Glasgow rail service simply isn’t quick enough. Ms Swinson stated “I do get the train, I do it when I can. What we need is to have a train service that is fast enough to ensure that domestic air travel doesn’t make the sense. At the moment that isn’t the case”. Some pollsters have shown a squeezing in the Lib Dem vote and these revelations are unlikely to help that. It was widely perceived that Ms Swinson struggled in Friday’s BBC Question Time party leaders special.
Current Affairs Correspondent | My name is Oliver Down I am 22, and a staunch brexiteer. I am a Bristolian lad who studied politics in Leicester. I believe in free speech and accurate journalism and I won’t be afraid to give you “the other side” of the story!
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