Cameron gave ‘shameful’ rises of up to 24% to aides

per cent pay increase from £80,000 in 2014 to £93,000 in 2015.

Ameet Gill, former director of strategy, and Liz Sugg, former head of operations at No 10, received rises of 23 per cent, sending their salaries from £80,000 in 2014 to £98,000 in 2015. Ms Sugg was given a life peerage.

Political adviser Kate Marley went from being on Pay Band 1 in 2014, which is capped at £54,121, to earning £65,000 in 2015, an increase of at least 20 per cent.

Special adviser Nick Seddon, who was awarded an MBE, had an 11 per cent pay rise last year to £88,000.

The rises were branded “shameful” by t axpayer groups and unions. John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Taxpayers will be shocked at the size of these increases at a time of necessary spending restraint.

“While spads c an help ministers implement their decisions, it’s important to strike a balance.”

Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA union, which represents senior officials, told the magazine: “It would seem hypocrisy knows no bounds from a prime minister who preached pay restraint and austerity to public servants and the public, whilst at the same time awarding double-digit pay rises.”

The revelations come a month after it emerged that Mr Cameron ignored concerns by civil service chief executive John Manzoni and handed his staff an extra £282,000 in severance pay after his resignation.

Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union, told the magazine: “We believe that every civil servant deserves a decent pay rise. It is frankly shameful that David Cameron thinks that this should just apply to his close circle.”

A Cabinet Office spokeswoman said: “Decisions about special adviser salaries take into account various factors, including the level of responsibility associated with a particular role and the background and experience of the individual concerned.

“These increases, which were agreed by the then prime minister, reflected changes to the scope and range of responsibility in the roles of a number of special advisers following their reappointment after the 2015 general election.”