Probably not the right time to decorate a plane

[Musicforsmorks]

Governments (ok, boris’) new vanity project.
£900,000 to slap Union Jack onto a plane.

Whatever you might think, this is probably unfortunate timing as thousands set to lose jobs.

Link to article

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53082294

Honestly, this government are just idiots. This, in the same week a footballer had to persuade the PM to help kids have food on the table & the day they are cutting student nurses contracts because they can’t afford it 🤦🏼‍♀️ Plus, middle of pandemic. And the NHS was already on its knees.

The news said the PM said it was a ‘justifiable use of the public’s taxes’ - NO IT IS NOT. £900,000 to paint a frigging plane!

It's bad timing but the suitability of it would depend on a few questions for me.

1. How many jobs will this project be preserving in itself in aerospace at a difficult time for the industry (also in the manufacture of paint etc)?

1. Was the plane due a refurbishment anyway?

3, How much more does it cost to paint it the colours than the standard air force colour?

Why no one ever gives us the detail so the public can decide how appropriate/not appropriate something is I do not know.

@Hollyhead

It's bad timing but the suitability of it would depend on a few questions for me.

1. How many jobs will this project be preserving in itself in aerospace at a difficult time for the industry (also in the manufacture of paint etc)?

1. Was the plane due a refurbishment anyway?

3, How much more does it cost to paint it the colours than the standard air force colour?

Why no one ever gives us the detail so the public can decide how appropriate/not appropriate something is I do not know.

^ this

Why do we never get an unbiased view with all the facts presented?

Also question 4. if the contract to undertake the work was signed pre-covid, what were the cancellation penalities?

They want us to talk about this shit so we're not talking about how they're trying to do away with the welfare state, don't fall for it.

What @Hollyhead said. The timing of the announcement shows a staggering lack of awareness of the country’s mood, but there are not enough facts available to judge.

It does seem entirely pointless and jingoistic but I think the current government are a shower of bastards anyway so it doesn’t surprise me at all

The information to those answers is easily available.

From Sky News:
Mr Johnson's spokesman has now said it will cost £900,000.

He told reporters the bill "incorporates the cost of creating a design that will promote the UK around the world without compromising the plane's vital military role".

"This will mean that the plane can better represent the UK around the world with national branding

So almost £1 million pounds for BJ to promote the "British brand" on a plane that barely anyone will ever see.

What actually is the British brand? I'm actually not sure we are good at anything right now. What is there to promote?

Why do we never get an unbiased view with all the facts presented?

That wouldn't suit the media's agenda.

The headline on the linked BBC article...

'PM's plane' it's not his plane. It's a multiple use RAF aircraft that is also used to transport BJ

Media froth at its best.

The timing of the announcement shows a staggering lack of awareness of the country’s mood

Does it? Who decided to announce this now or to run media coverage of it right now?

If a No10 press release was the initial source, then yes, completely tone deaf, although unsurprising - this is the government that thought the best way to react to growing anger over the Cummings issue was to have Grant Shapps announce a new dual carriageway somewhere in Cumbria.

But if this was brought to public attention by a media source (from my Twitter was it the Standard that broke it?) and then No10 just confirmed - well then that is journalists seeking to enrage the public by giving an anti-government biased take on the story and not actually asking the questions Hollyhead mentioned above that would allow people to look at the whole story and make their own minds up about how appropriate a decision it is.

For clarity I am absolutely no fan of this government. But becoming fed up with the media winding us up as well.

@DippyAvocado

So almost £1 million pounds for BJ to promote the "British brand" on a plane that barely anyone will ever see.

Why will the plane be barely seen? Are they planning to play hide and seek with it?

@DippyAvocado how can you see that the information you quoted does not in any way answer the questions I raised?!

It looks like the intention is for it to have a similar role to the on the Royal Yacht once had. Between 1991 and 1995 HMY Britannia was estimated to have raised £3bn for the Treasury. When it wasn't in use by the Royal Family it saw the signing of many business deals between UK and foreign firms. So this repaint may well pay for itself through tax income.

I'd wondered what BJ was doing, since he obviously hasn't paid much attention to the COVID crisis, schools etc

Now we know he was planning a paint job for his plane

"It's a multiple use RAF aircraft that is also used to transport BJ"

With a red, white & blue paint job, instead of its previous inconspicuous grey, it couldn't be sent off to fight anywhere

With a red, white & blue paint job, instead of its previous inconspicuous grey, it couldn't be sent off to fight anywhere

I shouldn't worry too much about that. None of the voyagers multiple uses in used being a fighter plane.

Involved.