See all the countries Gwent MP, and government minister, visited in a year |
TORFAEN’S MP Nick Thomas-Symonds visited eleven countries in his first year in government at a cost of at least £7,000.
The Labour MP’s first foreign jaunts came on consecutive days within 24 hours of him being appointed paymaster general and minister in the Cabinet Office in the days after Labour swept to power at the July 2024 general election.
Just a day after being appointed to the cabinet Mr Thomas-Symonds was sent on a Eurostar train to Belgium where he was told to “engage” with officials within the European Union’s institutions “demonstrating the new Government’s changed approach to EU/UK relations”.
The following day, on July 9, 2024, Mr Thomas-Symonds was summoned to accompany new Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer to the NATO summit in Washington DC, flying on the UK Government’s official jet G-GBNI.
At the time Mr Thomas-Symonds posted a photograph of himself, in a pristine white buttoned up shirt and tie, working during the flight.
The prime minister was accompanied by his wife, former Cardiff University student Victoria, for the three day visit but Mr Thomas-Symonds hasn’t been joined by his wife on any of his official trips.
The Torfaen MP travelled to Washington, for the meeting hosted by then US President Joe Biden, in