Golden handshakes for Theresa May’s ministers cost nearly £850k

Ministers who quit, were sacked or lost their seats in the 2017 general election during Theresa May’s premiership collected hundreds of thousands of pounds in payouts – including some MPs who have returned to government under Boris Johnson.

The Prime Minister himself took home nearly £17,000 when he resigned from the government in 2018, and seven members of his Cabinet are also believed to have collected thousands of pounds in “golden goodbyes” over three years.

According to analysis by the Politico website, more than £360,000 was paid out in severance to MPs and peers serving in government. The sums paid to advisers who also lost their jobs at the same time brings the total cost to nearly £850,000.

Cabinet ministers who received payments include Dominic Raab, who resigned over Brexit, and Priti Patel, who quit over claims she breached the ministerial code.

Gavin Williamson, who was sacked in May following an investigation into an alleged leak of classified information, and Andrea Leadsom, who resigned later that month over Brexit, are also eligible for severance, although payments have not yet been officially recorded.

Labour’s Shadow Cabinet Office Minister Jo Platt said Mr Johnson’s ministers should pay the money back.

“Rarely has failure been so richly rewarded as it was in Theresa May’s government,” Ms Platt said. “In no other walk of life would people be rewarded for breaking the rules, resigning for personal ambition or getting sacked for incompetence and repeated failure.

“The fact that so many of these people are back in the Cabinet less than a year after receiving handsome payouts stinks... every one of these ministers should pay back every penny they took from the public purse.”

Government rules set out that ministers are entitled to up to a quarter of their annual salary tax-free when they leave government, provided they are not reappointed within three weeks. Depending on the length of their service, advisers are entitled to up to six months’ pay when they leave, but can also have money clawed back if they return.

A spokesperson for the Cabinet Office said: “Severance payments for ministers are set out in law and for special advisers are a contractual entitlement.

“The special adviser contract sets out when they are payable, including when their minister leaves office and when there is a general election. If a special adviser is re-employed following either event their severance payment must be repaid.”