Mrs May’s £56k speech and she didn’t even have to leave home

THERESA MAy often liked to talk about ‘strong and stable’ leadership during her premiership. Well, her political currency certainly is, even though she has long since departed Downing Street.

I can disclose that the former Prime Minister was paid a staggering £56,000 for a speech she gave online last month.

The event was held by World 50, an American company based in Atlanta, Georgia. It paid Mrs May a total of £101,000, with the remainder an ‘ advance payment for a future event’.

She has listed the payment in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, in accordance with House of Commons rules.

The payment will surprise many voters who did not consider Mrs May to be an impressive public speaker. But the kitten- heeled vicar’s daughter has experienced something of an oratorical renaissance since returning to the backbenches.

Only last week she bared her teeth in the Commons by condemning the appointment of Brexit negotiator David Frost as the new National Security adviser, saying he had ‘no proven experience’. But it is her ability to coin money which has impressed her parliamentary colleagues. She has managed to rake in more than £1 million on the international lecture circuit since resigning as PM a year ago. Big banks and American universities are among those who have paid out more than £100,000 for insights into her time in power.

She also declared 14 occasions when she had received hospitality from Heathrow airport for use of its VIP package, worth £4,200 each time. This includes chauffeur-driven cars to the airport and aircraft and exclusive use of the Windsor Suite.

Mrs May is not the only politician finding lockdown lucrative. Former Chancellor Sajid Javid is to be paid £ 15,000 by private equity firm Blenheim Chalcot for an online speech that involved two hours’ work last month, according to the Register. Generously, Javid’s fee will be paid directly to charity.