inisters sacked from their jobs for rule-breaking could be denied severance pay beneath Liberal Democrat proposals.
The social gathering is about to name for “taxpayer-funded handouts” to “disgraced” former members of presidency to be scrapped because it enters the third day of annual convention.
Some £530,000 was obtained in ministerial severance over the past yr of political upheaval, in accordance with social gathering evaluation of Treasury information.
Conservative ministers crashed the financial system after which had been rewarded for it
Ministers are entitled to obtain severance funds price 1 / 4 of their wage on leaving workplace, offered they’re aged beneath 65 and are usually not reappointed inside three weeks.
Some who obtained funds final yr returned to authorities inside months.
These embrace Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, who obtained £16,876 when Liz Truss changed him as transport secretary initially of September 2022. He returned as house secretary a month later.
He’s reported to have given half of his cost to charity.
In a speech to convention, Lib Dem chief whip Wendy Chamberlain will name for a significant total of the cost system.
The proposals would stop MPs who’ve resigned for breaking the ministerial code from claiming severance pay.
Ministers must serve in publish for “an inexpensive time frame” and payouts couldn’t be claimed if they’re reappointed to authorities, the social gathering mentioned.
Ms Chamberlain mentioned: “It’s an outrage that whereas households wrestle to pay their payments, Liz Truss, Boris Johnson and different disgraced Conservative ministers have profited from their very own failure.
“The price of Conservative chaos is piling up for households throughout the nation. The British public won’t ever forgive this shambolic Conservative authorities.
“Conservative ministers crashed the financial system after which had been rewarded for it. It’s time to change the principles over ministerial severance pay for good to finish these revolving door payouts – sufficient is sufficient.”
Former prime ministers Boris Johnson and Ms Truss each obtained £18,660 after resigning whereas Kwasi Kwarteng was given £16,876 when he give up as chancellor after lower than six weeks within the job, in accordance with figures launched from Authorities departments.
Among the many different ministers to obtain severance funds was Chris Pincher, who resigned as deputy chief whip over allegations he groped two males within the Carlton Membership, precipitating the disaster that noticed Mr Johnson go away workplace.
Mr Pincher obtained a £7,920 severance cost after stepping down on the finish of June 2022.
Michael Gove additionally obtained £16,876 when he was sacked by Mr Johnson as levelling up secretary, a task he has returned to beneath Rishi Sunak.
A Authorities spokesperson mentioned: “There are long-standing guidelines in place to find out what ministers are entitled to obtain as severance pay. Underneath these guidelines, it’s for ministers to resolve whether or not they want to settle for it.”
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