Rishi Sunak intervened to ensure VIP helicopter contract was not cancelled

Prime minister - often criticised over fondness for air travel - asked Grant Shapps to act

Rishi Sunak personally intervened to stop the scrapping of a contract providing VIP helicopter transport for himself and senior ministers, it has emerged.

Earlier this year, Ben Wallace, the former defence secretary, ended a 40m contract for two private helicopters used by politicians and senior defence staff, which are crewed by RAF personnel and based at the Northolt airbase in west London. The contract was due to come to a close at the end of September.