Calls for Liz Truss not to take yearly £115,000 as ex-prime minister

Sir Keir Starmer has called connected Liz Truss not to assertion an allowance of up to £115,000 a twelvemonth she would beryllium entitled to aft resigning arsenic PM.

Liz Truss announced her resignation from the lectern extracurricular No 10 connected Thursday aft conscionable 44 days successful the job.

It means she volition present beryllium capable to assertion the Public Duty Costs Allowance (PDCA), presently acceptable astatine £115,000, which each erstwhile premier ministers are entitled to.

But the Labour person said she's "not earned the right" to the entitlement.

Former premier ministers are capable to gully connected the PDCA for immoderate costs that originate arsenic a effect of nationalist duties.

But Sir Keir, speaking to the BBC, said: "She shouldn't instrumentality that entitlement. After 44 days she has not earned the close to that entitlement, she should crook it down."

Liberal Democrat leader, Ed Davey, has besides said she should not assertion the money.

"Most radical person to enactment astatine slightest 35 years to get a afloat authorities pension," Mr Davey told LBC radio. "I deliberation moving 45 days shouldn't springiness you a pension that is galore many times what mean radical retired determination get aft a beingness of work"

Their remarks travel akin calls from unions and campaigners for the premier curate to crook it down.

The PDCA was announced by erstwhile premier curate John Major successful March 1991 successful the aftermath of Margaret Thatcher's resignation.

It was introduced successful bid to assistance erstwhile premier ministers inactive progressive successful backstage life, with payments lone made to conscionable the existent outgo of continuing to fulfil nationalist duties.

The costs are a reimbursement of incurred expenses for bureau costs and secretarial costs "arising from their peculiar presumption successful nationalist life" - for illustration bureau costs, salaries for unit who assistance them with their enactment successful nationalist life, oregon question to events wherever they're appearing arsenic an ex-PM.

It is not paid to enactment backstage oregon parliamentary duties.

All erstwhile premier ministers are eligible to gully connected the PDCA. John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Theresa May person each claimed the allowance aft leaving No 10. It is not yet known whether Boris Johnson has claimed the allowance arsenic the figures, which are released each year, person not yet been published.

The existent bounds connected what they are capable to gully is acceptable astatine £115,000 and has remained frozen since 2011.

Former PMs person not ever claimed the afloat amount, and it is not paid automatically, truthful they person to supply receipts.

Both John Major and Tony Blair claimed the afloat magnitude for 2020-21, Gordon Brown claimed £114,712, David Cameron claimed £113,423 and Theresa May claimed £57,382.

The money besides allows erstwhile PMs to assertion up to 10% of the outgo of this allowance to money the pensions of unit who enactment successful their post-prime ministerial offices.

There is besides a severance payment, which amounts to a one-off outgo of 25% of the yearly wage for the station that ministers person left. For premier ministers it is astir £19,000 (25% of £79,000 yearly salary).