Good Morning Scotland presenter Martin Geissler challenged Rishi Sunak over whether he was jetting to Aberdeenshire by plane – and suggested critics wanted to ban people going on holiday
The UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak clashed with a radio presenter after being confronted about his decision to fly to Scotland for a green energy announcement.
The Prime Minister hit the airwaves this morning to confirm plans for new North Sea oil and gas drilling – and a new multi-million pound carbon capture project to offset some of the environment impact.
But Mr Sunak got shirty with Good Morning Scotland presenter Martin Geissler, who challenged the PM over whether he was jetting to Aberdeenshire by plane. He then suggested critics wanted to ban people going on holiday.
Mr Sunak has been accused of enjoying a ‘helicopter lifestyle’ for using choppers to make short trips.
He was criticised at the weekend for borrowing a Tory donor’s helicopter for a 200-mile trip to a routine campaign event in North Wales – which would have taken just 10 minutes longer by train.
Asked if he was travelling to Aberdeenshire by private jet, the PM said: ‘I’ll be flying as I normally would and that is the most efficient use of my time. But again, I think actually that question brings to life a great debate here.
‘If you or others think that the answer to climate change is getting people to ban everything that they’re doing, to stop people flying, to stop people going on holiday. I mean, I think that’s absolutely the wrong approach.
‘Every Prime Minister before me has also used planes to travel around the UK because it’s an efficient use of time for the person running the country. So I can keep focusing on delivering for the people.
‘But if your approach to climate change is to say no one should go on holiday, no one should take a plane, I think you are completely and utterly wrong.’
The presenter retorted: ‘Am I?’ Mr Sunak replied: ‘What we are doing is investing in sustainable aviation fuel as one of the new technologies like carbon capture and storage which will help us make the transition. It’s not about banning flying.
‘It’s about investing in new technologies, like sustainable aviation fuel that will make flying more sustainable. That’s the right approach to this.
‘But I look forward to having that conversation with you again. Thanks very much for having me, bye bye.’
Earlier in the interview, Mr Sunak denied that the move was a political ploy to win seats in the North East of Scotland.
He said: ‘What this is about is strengthening our energy security for the whole of the United Kingdom. I think we’ve seen over the last year the impact of Putin’s war.
‘We don’t want to be in hock to dictators like that when it comes to our energy and an important part of guarding against that is investing in our North Sea.’
He added: ‘It’s not about political seats. It’s just about doing the right thing for the country.’
Mr Sunak will use a visit to Aberdeenshire to commit to future oil and gas licensing rounds in the North Sea – with the next round expected to confirm 100 licences in the autumn.
It comes after days of criticism over an apparent softening of the Government commitment to key net zero policies and environmental promises.
Mr Sunak is aiming to draw a line in the sand between the Tories and Labour on oil and gas, after Keir Starmer said his party wouldn’t issue new licences in a bid to tackle the climate crisis.
The Government has now committed to providing up to £20 billion of funding for early deployment of carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), with the Acorn project in Scotland’s north east now receiving support, along with the Viking project in the Humber.
