FOCUS – Since 1991, an annual allowance of 115,000 pounds (about 130,000 euros) maximum is provided for former British prime ministers, under the exercise of their public functions.
She remained in office for only 44 days. The former head of the British government, who announced his resignation on Thursday, now holds the sorry record for the shortest prime minister’s term in the entire history of the Kingdom. Yet Liz Truss is entitled to apply to the PDCA (Public Duty Costs Allowance) for the 115,000 pounds of annual allowance provided for former prime ministers, in accordance with the directives governing the organization of the British government.
This allowance was introduced in 1991, when Margaret Thatcher left. The term of office does not matter. This compensation is affected at the discretion of the former tenant of 10 Downing Street. John Major (6 years, 5 months and 4 days) and Tony Blair (10 years, 10 months and 25 days) had requested the maximum allowance. Gordon Brown (2 years, 10 months and 14 days) had claimed 114,712 pounds; David Cameron (6 years, 2 months and 2 days) 113,423 pounds and Theresa May (3 years and 11 days) 57,832 pounds.
The allowance cannot cover private expenses
Government directives specify that the objective of the PDCA is to cover the real cost of continuing to exercise public functions (office or secretarial expenses), due to the particular situation of former prime ministers in public life. This sum cannot therefore be used for private expenses. Moreover, if the former Prime Minister accepts a public appointment, the level of the allowance is reviewed according to the remuneration granted to him by this appointment.
In addition to this allowance, former prime ministers may apply for a retirement allowance, up to a maximum amount equivalent to 10% of the allowance.
“She really has no right to it”
The statement by Mark Serwotka, general secretary of a civil servants’ union, prompted many comments: “At a time when one in five civil servants uses food banks and 35% of them skip meals because they have no food, it is farcical that Liz Truss can walk away with (…) 115,000 pounds».
Several politicians opposed to Truss followed suit and argued that the now ex-prime minister should not apply for the allowance. “She should refuse. I think it’s the right thing to do. She did 44 days in power, she ain’t really entitled to it, she should refuse and not take itsaid Labor leader Keir Starmer on ITV’s Good Morning Britain. The leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, Ed Davey, has also spoken out in this direction.
For the time being, the person concerned has not spoken on the subject.
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