Conservative leader David Cameron's green credentials have been called into question after it emerged he had flown by helicopter - from Birmingham to Warwick.
The decision to fly such a short journey was ridiculed by Black Country MP Tom Watson who said: "Plenty of Brummie cabbies could have taken him instead."
The flight was made in December 2005, shortly after Mr Cameron became Conservative Party leader. He was in Birmingham for his first meeting of the shadow Cabinet, which took place in the city.
Mr Cameron had decided to break with the tradition that meetings of the shadow Cabinet and the Cabinet always take place in Westminster, London, and bring his top team to the West Midlands.
He had also established a reputation as someone who cared about the environment, and begun to make green issues a key policy issue for the Conservatives.
But it emerged this week that once the meeting was over, he flew to Warwick courtesy of West Midland industrial giant JCB, which provided the flight.
It is unclear what he was doing in Warwick, although Mr Cameron made a series of visits to meet the public and party activists across the country soon after becoming party leader.
Mr Watson uncovered details of the trip after trawling through the Register of Members' Interests, in which MPs reveal any free gifts the have received.
Mr Cameron's entry states he has received helicopter and private plane travel sponsored by a number of private businesses, to help in his role as Leader of the Opposition.
It emerged Mr Cameron has made about 70 sponsored flights since he took over the party, including the helicopter ride between Birmingham and Warwick.
Mr Watson said: "For a party leader who claims to be concerned about the environment to take a helicopter flight for less than 30 miles seems utterly ridiculous."
Last night a Conservative spokesman said: "Mr Cameron takes the train wherever possible but clearly the nature of his job, as with the Prime Minister's, means that this cannot always be the case. All flights are carbon offset."
