Rishi is known to prefer flying privately and using helicopters (Picture: Jeremy Selwyn)

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ‘personally intervened’ to stop officials scrapping his beloved tax-funded £40 million helicopter.

After the Ministry of Defence announced it planned to stop renting the two luxe copters to allocate funds to ‘key areas’, Mr Sunak reportedly fought to keep them.

The PM has repeatedly been criticised for his taste for helicopter rides, for exceptionally short distances – including one from London to Southampton.

Last month, defence secretary Grant Shapps ruled to keep the two helicopters, reportedly at the request of Mr Sunak.

It seems the prime minister will continue to take his short joyrides in the £40million helicopters as he continues to be ‘train shy’.

A Labour source previously said of his helicopter choices: ‘It’s ironic that the Prime Minister insists on this form of travel when mortgages are sky-high thanks to choices the Tories made.

‘Working people are being walloped by his failure every single day, but Rishi Sunak continues to have his head in the clouds.’

Among other journeys, Sunak has flown by helicopter to Dover (there was an hour-long train) and once took three private jets in only 10 days, including one from London to Blackpool.

Private jets have a disproportionate impact on the environment, guzzling more fuel than a commercial plane and are up to 14 times more polluting.

While some of Sunak’s private jet trips are at the taxpayer’s expense, Tory donors are also known to foot the bill.