Liz Truss is contesting the price of objects that went lacking from a authorities residence shortly earlier than she grew to become Conservative chief final 12 months.
The UK’s shortest-serving prime minister is reportedly refusing to pay greater than £12,000 after a variety of objects, together with bathrobes and slippers, went lacking from the Chevening Property final summer time.
On the time, Ms Truss was nonetheless overseas secretary, however is claimed to have felt she had a adequate lead over Rishi Sunak to start making preparations for her eventual victory.
The federal government has reportedly informed the previous PM she is accountable for the prices, and for meals and wine she and her aides consumed on the property, as these reportedly fell outdoors of state-related functions.
A spokesperson for Ms Truss informed The Mail on Sunday she is contesting the invoice.
She is known to have requested for an ‘correct bill’ earlier than agreeing to pay any charges.
A supply informed the newspaper: ‘Liz used Chevening as a mini Quantity 10, holding conferences along with her interior circle which regularly changed into events within the night.
‘[The Cabinet Office] objected to the concept that the taxpayer ought to foot the invoice for what had been principally a collection of summer time events, and say that she owes greater than £12,000 for it.’
In December final 12 months, the Guardian reported that traces of cocaine had been discovered on the property after the occasions in query, one thing Ms Truss has denied as ‘categorically unfaithful.’
Responding to the current prices handed to the previous prime minister, Ms Truss’s spokesperson added: ‘Liz at all times paid for the prices of her private friends at Chevening.
‘The most recent bill incorporates a combination of prices for her personally and prices for official authorities enterprise with civil servants together with [Cabinet Secretary] Simon Chase and senior officers from different departments who met at Chevening through the transition preparations.
‘The latter constitutes the vast majority of the invoice. It could be inappropriate for her to pay the prices for officers as it might have breached the Civil Service Code for civil servants to simply accept hospitality through the management marketing campaign.
‘She has due to this fact requested for this to be billed individually.’
Lasting simply 45 days between September and October final 12 months, Liz Truss is the shortest-serving prime minister in British historical past.
She has since blamed her restricted time in workplace on ‘a concerted effort by worldwide actors to problem our plan for development’, after the markedly destructive response of markets to her tax-cutting financial plans.
Ms Truss is known to be planning to face for re-election as MP for South West Norfolk, and to someday make a full political comeback.
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Originally posted 2023-04-30 22:07:06.