Reform’s Robert Jenrick has promised to reduce a tax on flights, despite receiving financial support from the owner of an airline poised to gain from his proposed policy change. The party’s Treasury spokesman has committed to eliminating air passenger duty on short-haul flights for adults traveling with children. However, it has come to light that he received £40,000 from a company holding a majority stake in German airline Condor, which recently launched its first UK route subject to the same duty Jenrick plans to lessen.
These revelations are likely to raise concerns about potential conflicts of interest involving Jenrick, especially as he publicly endorsed the party’s new policy alongside leader Nigel Farage. When questioned about these findings, the Labour party suggested that the public may question whose interests Jenrick is truly representing.
Air passenger duty, which recently increased to £15 for short-haul international economy flights, is typically covered by airlines but often passed on to passengers through ticket prices. Jenrick’s proposal to abolish this duty, dubbed the “family holiday tax,” aims to save families an average of £45 on flights abroad or £48 for domestic vacations. The policy is expected to apply to adult economy tickets for short-haul flights and would cost £166 million annually, offset by reductions in spending on migrant welfare, mental health benefits, and foreign aid.
Despite transitioning from the Conservative party to Reform earlier this year, Jenrick did not disclose how his benefactor would benefit from the proposed policy change. His ties to Attestor Limited, which contributed £15,000 in September and £25,000 in March last year, are notable as Attestor acquired a majority stake in Condor from the German government in 2021. Condor’s recent expansion, including new flights from Gatwick to Frankfurt, aligns with Attestor’s ownership status of the leisure airline.
Reform’s commitment to making family holidays more affordable has been met with skepticism due to Jenrick’s financial connections and past controversies. The party emphasized its goal of enabling all Mirror readers to enjoy vacations more easily, while Attestor and Condor declined to comment on the matter.
