Badenoch asked for taxpayers' cash to buy holiday flight to US, sources claim

Kemi Badenoch asked officials to pay for a holiday flight to the US with taxpayers' money while in government but was rebuffed by her former department's top civil servant, the Guardian understands.

- Pippa Crerar

Officials at the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) ended up booking her travel to Texas for a family holiday in February last year, sources claimed, although the former cabinet minister covered the cost herself.

The ministerial code states that ministers are expected to uphold the highest standards of propriety and must not ask civil servants to act in conflict with their own code of conduct, including with public funds.

Badenoch had travelled to Mexico for an official visit to discuss the UK's application to join the CPTPP Indo-Pacific trade bloc. Her business class flight there was covered by her department.

Before travelling, she asked the office of the DBT permanent secretary, Gareth Davies, whether the department would pick up the bill for a flight to Dallas, where she was holidaying with her family, as the overall cost was lower than a business class return from Mexico.

Her request was refused amid concerns that a taxpayer-funded detour would be hard to explain unless it was for official business, even if the flight was cheaper. The DBT said it was normal for permanent secretaries to advise on what was appropriate.

Sources close to Badenoch said she had been due to fly to Texas for an official visit with the state governor, Greg Abbott, to discuss a state-level trade agreement, but when the timings did not work out she covered the cost herself. However, evidence seen by the Guardian suggests the former minister did ask the department to try to find a way to fund the flight even when there was no official reason for the trip.