Corbyn a ‘hypocrite’ for BBC pay attack
Labour leader criticised as figures reveal the extent of gender pay gap among staff in his own office
JEREMY CORBYN has been branded a hypocrite after it emerged he employs more men in top jobs than women and that female staff are paid less than their male colleagues.
Of the seven members of staff paid top rates, just two are women and one, as senior as the most well paid male staff member, gets less than his deputy.
The figures from the House of Commons come just days after Mr Corbyn criticised the BBC for failing to pay its female members of staff the same as men. It also follows promises made by the party last year to tackle the gender pay gap. Maria Miller, chairman of the women and equalities select committee, said politicians should be setting an example.
The figures show there are seven members of Labour staff in roles with salaries above standard scales, paid for out of taxpayer-funded Short Money given to opposition parties to cover staff and office costs. Of these, five are men and two are women.
Notably, Seumas Milne the head of communications and Karie Murphy, the leader’s office manager, the two most senior staff in Mr Corbyn’s private office, are paid vastly different sums despite their comparative seniority.
Mr Milne received £99,000 in the last financial year, while Ms Murphy was paid £78,000 – £21,000 less than Mr Milne and £5,000 less than Mr Milne’s deputy, who is more junior than her.
The only other female member of staff listed by the House of Commons as earning above the approved pay scales was the head of the Parliamentary Labour Party, who earned £66,000 – the lowest of the highly paid members of staff.
Mr Milne earned the most with Steve Howell, his deputy, second on £83,000.
Other men were paid around £70,000 each. Remaining staff were only listed by pay grade, with most earning £53,000 or less.
Ms Miller, a former minister, said: “Political parties should be setting and leading by example and it is disappointing to hear that when Labour shadow ministers are talking so much about the importance of eliminating the gender pay gap, that there is still such a problem within its own ranks.”
One angry senior Labour source said: “Jeremy Corbyn has rightly pointed the finger at business over the gender pay gap. But he has always been reluctant to audit the one office he does control, his own. This is deeply hypocritical. Now we know why. Jeremy must urgently fix this and ensure his staff are paid on merit, not gender.”
Mr Corbyn attacked the BBC following news of the gender pay gap among taxpayer-funded staff at the corporation. Just days ago he said: “I think the BBC needs to look very hard at itself.”
A Labour Party spokesman said: “We welcome the transparency this publication brings.
“The public has the right to know where money is spent in politics.”