Payout for MP who quit his job as minister over sex texts to barmaids

HE RECEIVED NEARLY £6K

Politico, British taxpayers have shelled out almost £850,000 to ministers who quit their positions, were sacked or lost MP Andrew Griffiths was given a £5,500 their seats – as well their “numerous payout for leaving his ministerial post advisers – during Theresa May’s stint as after sending a series of sexuallyexplicit prime minister. texts to two Burton barmaids . Among them is new PM Boris Johnson,

The Conservative MP for Burton quit who resigned as foreign secretary as small business minister in July last last year over the Government’s handling year, less than six months into the job of Brexit and was given almost and before the sexting scandal £17,000. broke in the national press. A Cabinet Office spokesman

Now, official Government said: “Severance accounts have payments for ministers shown he was paid are set out in £5,594 in “cessation” law and for special pay after leaving his advisers are a contractual role. entitlement.

As well as resigning “The special as a minister, Mr adviser contract sets Griffiths was suspended out when they are from the Tory payable, including party when news of his when their minister sex texts emerged. He apologised Andrew Griffiths leaves office and when for his actions when the there is a general election. If a news broke. special adviser is re-employed following

The whip was restored in time for either event their severance payment him to back former prime minister must be repaid.”

Theresa May in a vote of confidence in In the wake of the sexting scandal, December last year. Mr Griffiths apologised for his actions

Mr Griffiths has not responded but said he wanted to stay on as Burton requests for a comment on his payout. MP. He later revealed he had suffered

However, a Department for Business, with mental health issues and had Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) been abused as a child. spokesperson said: “It is standard practice The father-of-one explained he had that severance payments are made suffered depression as he and his wife for ministers. This is clearly set out in had struggled to conceive a child. law, under the Ministerial and other Weeks before his mental collapse, he Pensions and Salaries Act 1991.” said, he learned that his brother had

According to news organisation been diagnosed with cancer.