Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle says £250K foreign jaunts were necessary for his job and to help Ukraine 

UNDER-fire Sir Lindsay Hoyle last night said his foreign jaunts were necessary for his job — and to help Ukraine. 

The Commons Speaker has claimed for 19 since October 2022, including trips to the Caribbean, almost always travelling in first or business class. 

Sir Lindsay Hoyle has defended his foreign jaunts, saying they were necessary for his job — and to help Ukraine

They cost the taxpayer more than £250,000 and led to him being dubbed “long-haul Lindsay”. 

However he said it was his job to act as an ambassador for the Commons “both at home and abroad”.

He told the Society of Editors conference: “Speakers have represented the House on the international stage, at a range of interparliamentary events.” 

Sir Lindsay said it also afforded him the chance to “raise the profile of Ukraine”.

He added: “I think it’s worth it to be that voice in the room, that speaks out against Russian aggression.” 

Freedom of information requests reveal he lavished more than £180,000 on First Class and Business Class flights in just two years.

A posh seat was even deemed necessary for hops to Dublin — flight time one hour 20 minutes from London — and Verona, Italy.

Sir Lindsay’s opulent travel arrangements had him run up a bill of £250,000 of taxpayers’ money on 19 jaunts since October 2022. None of his flights were in economy.

The expenditure is unprecedented for a modern-day Speaker. It took predecessor John Bercow a decade to rack up a similar amount.

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