It has been revealed that UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak took a taxpayer-funded private plane to Leeds for an NHS visit on Monday, despite train journeys between London and Leeds taking just 2 hours 15 minutes.
The PM was pictured boarding an RAF plane on Monday morning as his government scrambles to get a grip on the crisis consuming the NHS.
According to reports by Pippa Crearer, Political Editor at The Guardian, Number 10 Downing Street defended the PM's decision to take the luxury private plane as being the 'most efficient use of his limited time'.
A return train ticket between London and Leeds typically costs between £100 and £155, whereas the prices of chartering private planes in the UK start at around £4,504 per hour according to the website PrivateFly.com.
With a flight between London and Leeds estimated at roughly 1 hour and 12 minutes, the PM's decision to fly by luxury private plane may well have shaved just over an hour off his travelling time each way.
However, if the Tories had not scrapped their proposed high-speed rail line then the rail journey from London to Leeds would have been one hour and 21 minutes.
The PM's official spokesman said: "The transport the Prime Minister takes will vary and always be done with any interests of what's the most effective use of his time, allowing him to get around the entirety of the UK when there is a great deal of pressure on his time.
"It will vary on what is the most appropriate."
29/05/2020. London, United Kingdom. Rishi Sunak Covid-19 Press Conference 29/05. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak chairs the daily Covid-19 Press Conference inside No10 Downing Street with NHS Medical Director Professor Stephen Powis. Picture by Andrew Parsons / No 10 Downing Street
Mr Sunak visited Leeds' Rutland Lodge Medical Practice on Monday to meet with patients and carers focused on providing care outside of the hospital after hosting rare emergency talks with NHS and care leaders over the weekend.
Discharge rates have fallen to a new low in England in recent weeks, with just a third of patients ready to be released from hospital actually leaving.
In response, the government has just announced plans to buy up thousands of care home beds in a bid to free up room in NHS hospitals, as well as ease pressure on A&E and ambulances.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay announced to parliament this week that the move would be funded by a £200 million pot, that has been found within existing Department of Health and Social Care budgets.
Meanwhile, striking nurses and ambulance workers are still reporting that there is no movement from the government on talks surrounding their working conditions and wages - with the government instead moving today to introduce new anti-strike legislation in parliament.
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You can now get Too Good To Go ‘Surprise Bags’ from dozens of M&S stores in Yorkshire
M&S has finally decided to partner with food waste charity, Too Good To Go.
A total of 350 M&S stores across the UK - including several major sites across Yorkshire - now offer new Too Good To Go 'Surprise Bags' that are made up of surplus bakery goodies, giving customers the chance to collect quality food at a reduced price at the end of the day directly from in-store bakeries.
The launch follows a trial in a select number of UK stores, and the Surprise Bags will include bakery treats such as pastries, cookies, and fresh bread.
The partnership with Too Good To Go is the latest move in M&S Food’s work to reduce surplus food and ensure good food doesn’t go to waste.
Each of the Surprise Bags will include three to four bakery products to a minimum retail price of £10.20 for just £3.80.
Available Monday to Saturday, customers can order their Surprise Bags through the Too Good To Go app, and collect them one hour before their local store closes.
"It’s great to be involved in this new launch with Too Good To Go to help reduce food waste," commented Chris Parker, who is the Store Manager at M&S Bolton Middlebrook.
"Our in-store bakeries are incredibly popular with customers, and at the end of the day, customers will now be able to order and collect surprise bags offering fantastic surplus bakery products at great value.
"By finding new ways to re-purpose surplus products, we’re helping ensure more food is enjoyed rather than wasted. This partnership is another positive step towards reaching our goal of halving food waste by 2030."
Featured Image - Supplied
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Crossed Wires festival brings huge £6.6m boost to Sheffield as its impact is revealed
Clementine Hall
The world's biggest podcast festival, Crossed Wires, continues its magnificent rise in just its third year.
It's safe to say that the festival has had its landmark year, with this year's independent economic assessment confirming the 2026 festival generated £6.65 million in total economic impact.
After doubling footfall to a whopping 50,000 attendees in 2026, the festival has further cemented its position as one of the world’s fastest-growing cultural festivals.
Alongside its strong local community roots, it may come as a surprise that just over half (52%) of festivalgoers travelled from outside of South Yorkshire, with 40% outside the UK North and Midlands.
Image: Supplied
It's amazing news for the festival which launched just three years ago and has rapidly evolved from an ambitious start-up festival into a nationally significant event.
South Yorkshire's Mayor, Oliver Coppard said: "When we backed Crossed Wires in its early days, we knew South Yorkshire had the talent, creativity and ambition to make something truly special. What's happened since has been incredible.
"Tens of thousands of people have come to our region, filling venues, supporting local businesses and bringing millions of pounds into our economy. That's good news for Sheffield and for our communities right across South Yorkshire."
Images: Supplied
Co-Founder Dino Sofos, said: “We’re delighted to see Crossed Wires become one of South Yorkshire’s biggest cultural events in just three years. There’s a real buzz around the festival, and reaching 50,000 attendees while generating over £6million for the local economy this year shows the scale of what we’ve created - and its potential to grow even further."
We can't wait to see the future of Crossed Wires festival, and we're already looking forward to the next instalment taking place from 1 - 4 July 2027. We'll see you there.
Georgina Pellant -
10th January 2023 
