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Cosmetic repaint of RAF Voyager plane at a cost of £900,000

(68 Posts)
Grannynannywanny Wed 17-Jun-20 18:23:49

Boris Johnson has approved repainting the plane used by the PM and members of the Royal family. It’s to be painted red, white and blue at a cost of nearly £1 million.

Apparently BJ previously griped that it was a dull and boring grey colour and needed brightening up.

Families across the UK living in poverty and struggling to feed their children. Businesses collapsing. The country is on its knees.

Great idea, let’s use nearly £1 million of tax payers money to paint the plane jolly patriotic colours. That’ll cheer them all up.

Grannynannywanny Thu 18-Jun-20 10:54:54

If we are going to be reliant on presentation to secure trade deals maybe he could go for the cheaper option and run a comb through his hair

MaizieD Thu 18-Jun-20 10:51:47

You could paint it whatever colour you want but it won't fool the rest of the world into forgetting that when Johnson emerges from it it is disgorging a congenital, and untrustworthy, liar.

25Avalon Thu 18-Jun-20 10:43:40

I am all for being a free thinker and this country is going to need secure trade deals and lots of income from them. It has been shown in the past that this relies on presentation so doing up the plane may not be as negative as most of you seem to think. We need money from outside.
Regarding student nurses I have always been shocked that although we pay money to train them there is no guarantee of a job when they graduate. It has been like this for years and seems crazy to me.
Please do not level any political arguments at me. I am not interested in being degenerated for my thoughts. If you cannot respect them say nothing. I will not reply.

Oldwoman70 Thu 18-Jun-20 10:29:49

I gather planes are normally repainted every 7 years - if this is a scheduled repainting then changing the colour isn't a problem.

Alishka Thu 18-Jun-20 09:20:58

As a principle I'm surprised that it wasn't painted to signify that we have an equivalent of the US Air Force One at its inception - why aren't we Flying the Flag? (Air Force One is,iirc, blue and white with United States of America written along its body)
But to repaint it NOW?
Bloody bonkers I reckon but there again, it's a Bloody Bonkers Boris' Idea.

Grannynannywanny Thu 18-Jun-20 09:07:44

It’s being reported as a cosmetic rebranding of the external paintwork. The £10 million internal refit was done back in 2015 when David Cameron was PM.
A VIP luxury suite was fitted then.

GrannyGravy13 Thu 18-Jun-20 08:44:06

If this has been in the pipeline for several months/years, to cancel the re-fit could lead to the loss of multiple jobs. The aviation industry is already under immense financial pressure and many many jobs are at risk.

This would have /will need to be scheduled in , you cannot just land a plane, taxi it into a hanger, throw some paint on it and fit a few seats and tables inside.

Oldbat1 Thu 18-Jun-20 08:41:08

Obscene! Disgraceful! Pointless! Disgusted!

Grannynannywanny Thu 18-Jun-20 08:33:47

Lucca sadly this isn’t fake news. Since doing some more reading after seeing the story widely reported yesterday it appears it’s not really “news”

There are articles as far back as 2018 when he was foreign secretary and it was reported to be on his wish list then.

I can’t figure out how to send a link to this article from May 2018 so I’ve attached a screenshot

J52 Thu 18-Jun-20 08:01:40

Posted on the other thread, so won’t repeat, but this is such a two fingered response the all the hard working struggling population.
Let alone to pensioners, homeless, poor and hungry. I’m furious, it’s taxpayers money!

Lucca Thu 18-Jun-20 07:49:40

Is there any chance this is fake news ? Please

Lucca Thu 18-Jun-20 07:48:06

As I said on t’other thread, it’s an insult in these difficult times, and when there are threats of cancelling triple lock pensions.

Ladymuck we are constantly told we’ve left the EU so why does he need to “make a statement”?

Also this will be yet another thing to make us look ridiculous

Whitewavemark2 Thu 18-Jun-20 07:45:45

Any bets on the next U-turn?

vegansrock Thu 18-Jun-20 07:28:37

He’s probably getting the interior done out with a glamorous boudoir.

Grannynannywanny Wed 17-Jun-20 20:59:19

Kalu that’s a disgusting way to treat those final year student nurses who bravely stepped forward to work in hospitals across the country at the height of the pandemic.

Hollow words from BJ when he offers his praise and thanks to the NHS.

Kalu Wed 17-Jun-20 20:50:45

Sadly true Grannywannynanny. Thousands of 3rd year student nurses, given the assurance should they sign up with a contract which would see them complete their final six months training which would result in them being fully qualified and a pay rise in accordance their new status are now being told the government cannot now afford to pay them and their services are no longer needed!

Callistemon Wed 17-Jun-20 20:50:26

It's going to be very conspicuous.

Dollymc2 Wed 17-Jun-20 20:46:58

It's jingoistic
It's Brexit driven
It will probably appeal to the kind of folk who fronted up to 'defend the statues'
What an utter waste of money, when it could be put to so much better use
Words fail me

Lollin Wed 17-Jun-20 20:40:44

Ludicrous wasre of money. Continue to rub our noses in the dirt

Callistemon Wed 17-Jun-20 20:34:44

you Brexit lot
I don't think one is a lot!

This is at a time that BA are being told they may not be able to use the red white and blue logo on their tail fins.

Now we know why.

MaizieD Wed 17-Jun-20 20:22:01

From twitter:

Adrian Bowyer
@adrianbowyer

When an airline repaints a 777 (roughly the same size as an A330) it costs about £80,000. So WTF are they spending the other £820,000 on?

Grannynannywanny Wed 17-Jun-20 20:19:36

Kalu I didn’t know that. I suppose they’ll still be expected to step forward again if we have a resurgence of the virus in the coming weeks.

Kalu Wed 17-Jun-20 20:01:35

Meanwhile, student nurses who stepped forward as frontline aid have been told their services are no longer required and salaries will revert back to a pittance. Despicable. ?

MaizieD Wed 17-Jun-20 19:45:18

Isn't it supposed to be an operational plane for the RAF when not on royal (& PM) transporting duties? It certainly wouldn't be able to do any covert missions...

Davidhs Wed 17-Jun-20 19:39:51

Is spending nearly a million quid on some paint to tart up a bunch of military planes the best thing Johnson can come up with to distract the masses from his catastrophic premiership? This seems to appeal solely to those who would go out and "defend" statues of less desirable historical figures.