Liz Truss, who yesterday resigned as British Prime Minister, has been called on from various quarters to reject the annual allowance for ex-prime ministers. Although Truss was at the helm of the British government for just 44 days, she is still entitled to the £115,000 (€130,000) that British heads of government receive each year when they resign.
It would leave a “bitter aftertaste” if Truss were to accept the compensation, opposition party Liberal Democrats said. “Liz Truss will always be known as the ’50 Day Prime Minister’. In no way should she receive the same amount as her predecessors, who all served for more than two years,” said Christine Jardin, a cabinet spokesperson for the Liberals.
“She has to turn it down,” Labor leader Keir Starmer said. “I think that’s the right thing to do. She was in office for 44 days, she’s not really entitled to it, she should turn it down, not take it.”
“To make matters worse, Truss’s estate is an economic disaster,” said Jardin, who called Truss unscrupulous if she were to collect the amount anyway.
The allowance was created in 1991 after the resignation of Margaret Thatcher to support politicians in carrying out their public duties after Prime Ministership.
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