The National:

THERE was a great deal of pessimism in response to the news that the Tory Government was planning to spend just shy of £1m to repaint Boris Johnson’s jet with Union flag colours.

Granted, the announcement, coming amid a deadly pandemic and severe economic downturn, could have been timed more sensitively.

But what better way to get taxpayers on side than to show them what their money has been spaffed up the wall on, to borrow a phrase from the Prime Minister.

Johnson had previously complained about the grey colour of the RAF Voyager, a military plane used by Westminster chiefs and royal family members, and called for a “Brexit plane” to promote the Government’s vision of a “global Britain”.

The Tory leader now has his wish, as part of a bargain £900,000 renovation.

READ MORE: Lord claims £1m fee to paint Boris Johnson's plane is 'tremendous value'

Despite the sound reasoning behind the plan, the UK public weren’t totally thrilled when they first got a glimpse of the dolled-up Brexit jet.

One Twitter user wrote: "Over 60,000 people have died and millions are in poverty. But hey, swank is the new successful, right?" 

Another commented: "You do know that our national debt now exceeds our GDP? You are aware that 80% of councils face bankruptcy by the end of the pandemic and we're facing the deepest recession since ww2? You know all this right? And you celebrate this £900k paint job? Could you be more out of touch?"

Their anger was compounded when some onlookers pointed out that the Union flag appears to have been painted on upside down.

Perhaps seeing the plane in flight would get people excited about the physical manifestation of the Government’s Brexit delusion?

It didn’t seem to do the trick either.

Some Scottish independence supporters at least had something approaching praise for the paint job…