Politician hit with backlash after details of recent trip go public: 'A multi-millionaire who works for the interests of the billionaires'

British politician Nigel Farage flew by private jet to Scotland for several stops as part of a by-election campaign.

The leader of the right-wing Reform UK party, and Clackton's member of parliament, Farage's stances are famously anti-environment. For example, he has previously attempted to cast doubt on the sustainability of electric vehicles. 

According to The National, he traveled from Farnborough, just outside London in the south of England, to Aberdeen in the north of Scotland, before then making the short trip to Glasgow, which is only 145 miles away. 

While the wealth inequality on display with the use of private jets is a large enough social issue, the environmental impact of such travel is immense. 

Since private jets fly at such low occupancy, the amount of fuel being burned per person is much higher than on commercial flights. 

British politicians aren't alone in availing themselves of private jet travel. American politicians, celebrities, and business executives are also frequent flyers. Outrage over such excesses has produced loud public condemnation.   

Short-haul air travel is a major contributor to atmospheric pollution, which exacerbates destructive weather patterns, including droughts and floods. 

It also makes problems like ocean acidification and warming markedly worse. The added heat trapped in the atmosphere speeds up polar ice melt, which ultimately raises sea levels. 

These problems can be easily mitigated by adopting more sustainable travel habits. The construction of high-speed rail is seeing steady progress in the U.K., but even upon completion, the country will be far off the pace of what China has been able to achieve with that transport option. 

Meanwhile, France has banned short-haul flights in order to drive more rail use, and Spain is looking to do the same. 

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With alternative travel options available, other British politicians were quick to criticize Farage's excessive habits. 

"Farage is a multi-millionaire who works for the interests of the billionaires," said Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie, per The National. "Farage represents the dangerous politics of prejudice, division, and environmental vandalism. Scotland deserves so much better than this." 

"Nigel Farage doesn't care about Scotland," said The Scottish National Party's George Adam, per The National. "He poses a threat to our values and must be stopped, and only the SNP can do that."

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