Labour MP Jake Richards spent £34,000 of public money on a visit to the United States during the World Cup. The taxpayer forked out over £24,000 alone on flights for the Sentencing Minister, who went to Illinois and Missouri in July.
His bill reportedly included £24,257 for flights, £3,287 on accommodation, £3,800 on ground transport, £2,688 on living expenses and £195 for other expenses, according to a breakdown published by the Guido Fawkes website. Mr Richards has been approached for comment.
Trip details and social media posts
A picture posted on the MP's Facebook account appears to show Mr Richards watching England's World Cup match against Argentina on July 15. The image shows him giving a thumbs up and raising an almost empty pint glass. It is accompanied by the words: "Half time. Nervous - not sure about this ref!! Come on England!"
Mr Richards is reported to have travelled with his private secretary, a civil servant who specialises in sentencing young people, a photographer and adviser on "international engagement". Guido Fawkes reports the trip was from July 12 to 16. The Express understands Mr Richards did not attend the World Cup in person and ministers on official travel are routinely joined by officials to support their work.
Official meetings and reactions
Rother Valley's MP shared details of his trip on LinkedIn. It included a meeting with the Governor of Missouri, Mike Kehoe. In one post, accompanied by photos, Mr Richards wrote: "Great to spend time with Governor Kehoe and to discuss the relationship between the UK and the great state of Missouri." He ended the post thanking the Governor for his hospitality and Union Jack and the Stars and Stripes flags.
Mr Richards boasted in a second post about being the first British minister to visit the Barack Obama Presidential Center, which opened to the public in June. On LinkedIn he wrote: "It is a place of hope and energy, full of history and ideas for the future. A reminder of our collective endeavour to build a fairer, more prosperous world. A real treat to be the first UK minister to visit."
Public backlash and official response
Reports of the trip's cost sparked outrage on social media. On X, an account named LetsTalkPoliticsUK said it summed up "everything you need to know about [the] Labour Government". They claimed Prime Minister Andy Burnham, and his predecessor Sir Keir Starmer, led a group of MPs "just like the Tories, filling their own pockets". Fellow X-user, tweeting from Fillie 05 said: "Contempt... that's all he has for us". Another X-user's account, named Charles Wharton, wrote: "When taxpayers are footing the bill, every overseas trip deserves scrutiny". Others pointed out that the £34,000 total could be compared to someone's annual salary.
A Ministry of Justice Spokesperson said: "This trip took place to support the once-in-a-generation reforms we are making to our youth justice system. In Missouri, the Minister saw how early intervention to tackle the root causes of youth crime can create safer communities and fewer victims."
