RAF's 'Brexit Plane' sidelined from VIP role after patriotic respray cost £1m

The RAF plane repainted red, white and blue by former PM Boris Johnson at a cost of nearly £1m has been sidelined from VIP duties, we can reveal.

The RAF Voyager was previously coloured grey but was repainted to “better represent the UK around the world with national branding” in 2020. The so-called “ Brexit Plane” has not flown VIPs for two years and appears to have been solely used for refuelling other RAF jets over the North Sea since Labour came to power last year.

The resprayed Voyager was unveiled five years ago and used to fly the Prime Minister and senior royals on long-haul trips around the world - though the £900,000 rebrand was criticised as a waste of money. We can reveal that in recent months the aircraft, based at RAF Brize Norton, has been used for refuelling other aircraft over the North Sea.

The RAF has confirmed that it has not been used for VIP transport since 2023. An RAF spokesman said: “The RAF Vespina Voyager continues to be available for all roles including its primary role of AAR [air to air refuelling] and when required VIP flights.”

Instead, the Government’s smaller Airbus A321-2NX was used by the King and Queen on a state visit to Italy earlier this year. The Airbus is also being used on longer haul trips, such as taking Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the G7 in Canada and Foreign Secretary David Lammy to meetings with his counterparts in Washington last month.

When former Prime Minister Boris Johnson flew to New York in 2020, he used the repainted RAF Voyager. When Mr Starmer attended the Pope’s funeral in Rome in April, along with official visits to Norway and Albania, he took the Airbus.

The Ministry of Defence told us the Voyager was only every tasked in the VIP role for the most senior Royals and politicians. It's primary role was for air to air refuelling but last month, on route back from those North Sea duties, it took part in the flypast over central London to mark the King's birthday. Buckingham Palace and Number 10 declined to comment.

The Airbus, which is also painted red, white and blue, has been leased by the Cabinet Office since 2021 and has been described as a second “Brexit Plane”. The respray cost another £783,940, but it has since been replaced with an identical jet by owners Titan Airways with the same livery.

The Airbus was involved in an accident in October 2023 when three window panes fell out at 14,000 feet, after it took off from Stansted Airport on a flight to Florida.

The VIP Voyager was not affected when two other RAF Voyager aircraft were damaged at RAF Brize Norton in a demonstration allegedly carried out by members of Palestine Action last month. Four people have been charged over the incident on 20 June which caused about £7m worth of damage.