Tony Blair has given the go-ahead for the purchase of two aircraft costing £100 million for Gordon Brown and the Queen to fly around the world on official visits.

The Times can disclose that the Prime Minister will, as one of his last acts in power, sanction a Royal Flight of jets this week for use by the Queen and his successor.

The idea of a “Blair Force One”, on the lines of the US President’s Air Force One, has been considered at different times throughout Mr Blair’s premiership. But ironically his decision will benefit Mr Brown, who is likely to get far more use out of it than the Queen.

Mr Blair is on his own “farewell tour” before he stands down at the end of next month.

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In recent days he has been to Washington and Iraq. Next week he goes on a five-day trip to Africa, rounding off his decade in power with the G8 summit in Germany and the Brussels European Union summit in the days before the Chancellor succeeds him.

A 70-seater Airbus, likely to be an A320, will be bought for long-haul flights and a smaller 15-seat executive jet will be purchased for flights to European capitals. Both will be bought on the secondhand market.

The £100 million cost is similar to the price for leasing British Airways Boeing 777s over the decade, as Mr Blair has done for years.

The main aircraft will be used by the Queen for a handful of times a year when she travels on major international trips. If Mr Brown follows Mr Blair’s example he will use it far more often. Mr Blair has made several long-haul trips each year. Scores of the seats will be taken out so that the aircraft can be fitted with communications equipment. There will be antimissile devices and it is likely to be flown by an RAF crew. There will be beds and wardrobes for the use of the Prime Minister, the Queen and staff, and it will fly at altitudes of up to 40,000 ft (12,000m).

The Conservatives slammed the timing of the decision. Chris Grayling, the Shadow Transport Secretary, said that it was inappropriate for Mr Blair to make such a decision as he was about to leave office.

“This seems like sweeping it under the carpet. The decision should have been entrusted to the man who is going to be running the country and who should defend the use of taxpayers’ money for this purpose,” he said.

The smaller jet is likely to be used by the Prime Minister, other ministers, and members of the Royal Family for shorter flights.

Mr Brown, as Chancellor, has always been doubtful about the cost of a new aircraft solely for the use of the Prime Minister. But last year Sir Peter Gershon, the Government’s efficiency adviser, advised the purchase, arguing that it would be cheaper than leasing.

An official notice confirming that the Government is looking for bidders will go into the Official Journal of the European Union within days. It will say that the contract will be worth £100 million over the next ten years.

Senior government sources say that Mr Blair has come under pressure from Buckingham Palace for the purchase.

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