PM Andy Burnham is accused of using the Government jet 'like an Uber' after it detoured to Manchester to collect him

Downing Street has refused to reveal the cost of diverting the Government's Airbus A321neo to Manchester to collect Prime Minister Andy Burnham, with his spokesman claiming it reflected "security, operational requirements and value for money." The jet departed Stansted at 6am, landed in Manchester 30 minutes later, waited on the tarmac for an hour and a half, then flew the Atlantic to Antigua for the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit.

Burnham's office will not explain why he did not simply travel to Stansted over the weekend, though No 10 says he worked in Manchester on Friday.

Tory shadow minister Neil O'Brien accused Labour of managing to "waste taxpayers' money and jet fuel so they can posture" over net zero.

Reform chief whip Lee Anderson said Burnham is using "the taxpayer as a cash cow" while families face rising energy bills; the PM's spokesman declined to confirm or deny a reported £20,000 cost for the detour.