O’Leary’s frustrations centre around APD, a charge levied on airlines for every passenger flight, which varies depending on journey length. O’Leary claims that Reeves’ refusal to scrap the tax is a major obstacle to restoring growth in the UK.
“The UK Government, if it really wants to restore competitiveness and growth, simple: abolish APD,” he said, waving a letter he wrote to Reeves on December 2.
O’Leary claims that the Treasury’s response, delivered by Exchequer Secretary James Murray, was laughably dismissive. According to O’Leary, Murray highlighted that the APD increase would only add £2 for short-haul economy flights. But O’Leary wasn’t having it.
“It’s already between £13 and £15 for a typical Ryanair flight costing £44,” he said. “That’s a penal tax on growth and tourism.”
A ‘dead cow’ of a Heathrow plan
O’Leary didn’t stop at APD. He tore into Reeves’ plans for a third runway at Heathrow, sarcastically noting that it likely wouldn’t be delivered until 2040 or later.
“We don’t mind if she wants a third runway at Heathrow, but understand this: it’s a dead cow attached to a dead cat,” O’Leary quipped, suggesting the project wouldn’t yield any immediate benefits.
His scathing assessment continued, accusing Reeves of wasting five years preparing for her role only to “screw it up” in her first budget.
“Rachel Rubbish” and Labour’s growth strategy
O’Leary’s tirade concluded with one clear message: if Reeves is serious about delivering growth, she needs to drop the aviation tax immediately.
“Nothing damages growth faster than increasing taxes on air travel,” he warned, accusing Reeves of missing major opportunities to revitalise the UK economy.
O’Leary’s attack may have been peppered with insults, but it’s clear he’s targeting what he believes to be a fundamental flaw in Labour’s economic strategy.
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