ANDREW PIERCE: ‘Boris Force One’ used once after £900k paint job 

When Boris Johnson ordered a £900,000 red, white and blue makeover of the RAF-issue prime ministerial plane last year, some critics questioned why the taxpayer needed to cough up nearly £1 million just so the PM could look like ‘Austin Powers on tour’.

The previously sombre grey military Voyager A330 aircraft had already been refitted in 2016, at a cost of £10 million under David Cameron’s leadership, to feature 58 business class-style seats — but was used only once by Dave before his resignation.

Following Boris’s sprucing up of the jet, Downing Street boasted that the new look will help the PM ‘better represent the UK around the world with national branding’.

When Boris Johnson ordered a £900,000 red, white and blue makeover of the RAF-issue prime ministerial plane last year, some critics questioned why the taxpayer needed to cough up nearly £1 million just so the PM could look like ‘Austin Powers on tour’

But is it really value for money, Boris? As new figures reveal, the plane — used by the PM, senior ministers and the Royal Family — has been used just once since its revamp last June (much like ‘Cam Force One’).

While this is partly because of coronavirus travel restrictions, in the previous year the Voyager was used officially only five times.

According to a parliamentary written answer, the plane was used just eight times in 2016-17, ten in 2017-18, and ten in 2018-19.

As Foreign Secretary in 2018, Boris complained: ‘I don’t know who uses it, but it never seems to be available.’ Now, we’re asking the same question.

Len McCluskey, leader of the Unite trade union and cheerleader for Jeremy Corbyn, is no fan of Labour’s current leader. 

‘I have no idea what the Labour Party stands for under Keir,’ McCluskey told LBC radio yesterday. ‘My personal relationship with Keir Starmer has broken down,’ he added.

What relationship? He’s met Sir Keir three times since he won the leadership a year ago.

Esther tells nanny state to BOGOF 

Once a cheerleader for Boris Johnson, Esther McVey, MP for Tatton and a former Cabinet Minister, is declaring war on her own Government in the supermarket aisles.

She is rallying her Blue Collar Conservatism group of working-class Tories against the planned ban of ‘BOGOF’ (buy one get one free) deals, which some ministers say promote unhealthy food.

‘This nanny state-style intervention will push up prices for hard-working families who enjoy a bargain,’ she writes in her local newspaper. 

‘It’s only a matter of time before people are weighed at the entrance of takeaways before they’re allowed to buy their fish and chips.’

How can the Royal Family clear themselves of the harmful allegations of racism levelled by Meghan Markle?

‘Easy,’ says one Westminster wag. ‘Just get Shami Chakrabarti to do the investigation.’

The human rights activist was rewarded with a peerage by Jeremy Corbyn after conducting an inquiry which many saw as whitewashing Labour’s anti-Semitism problem.

Lost in translation: Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle rebuked Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville Roberts for speaking in Welsh in the Commons last week. An indignant Saville Roberts countered: ‘The first part was in Irish, the second part was in Welsh. I was wishing everybody a Happy St Patrick’s Day.’

Singing Pesto shows softer side 

ITV Political Editor Robert Peston performed an astonishing rendition of Luck Be A Lady from Guys And Dolls on ITV’s All-Star Musicals last night. 

What will the politicians he usually grills make of this new, softer side to the broadcaster?

‘They’ll realise a whole new career has opened for me, and be deeply relieved,’ Peston insists modestly.

Meanwhile, London voters have received letters urging them to apply for postal votes ahead of May’s mayoral election. 

Oddly, the letters aren’t from Tory candidate Shaun Bailey, but from Rishi Sunak. Perhaps his much- rumoured leadership bid really is on the cards…

ITV Political Editor Robert Peston performed an astonishing rendition of Luck Be A Lady from Guys And Dolls on ITVu2019s All-Star Musicals last night

ITV Political Editor Robert Peston performed an astonishing rendition of Luck Be A Lady from Guys And Dolls on ITV’s All-Star Musicals last night