Britain’s shortest-serving cabinet minister is in line for nearly £17,000 in compensation after spending just 35 hours on the job as education secretary.
Michelle Donelan, who resigned after just one full day in the role, has asked not to receive the money and will give the full amount to charity if she does.
She is one of 28 former ministers who quit or were sacked in the coup against Boris Johnson and are set to earn a total of £240,000 in redundancies.
Opposition MPs are calling on those who will benefit to opt out of the payments at a time when millions of UK families face a squeeze on living costs.
Members of the government who leave their posts are automatically legally entitled to a golden farewell to the value of a quarter of their ministerial salary.
Ms Donelan was promoted to Education Secretary late on Tuesday following the shock resignation of Sajid Javid, which set off a revolt against the prime minister.
Donnellan’s temporary promotion to the Cabinet increased her salary
But just 35 hours later, after failing to convince Mr Johnson that she should step down for a new leader, she felt she had no choice but to step down in the national interest.
She previously served as a universities minister for two years and would have been entitled to a £7,920 severance package on leaving that role.
But her temporary cabinet promotion has boosted her salary significantly, meaning she is now in line for a much larger sum of £16,876.
The MP for Chippenham, Wiltshire, told The Telegraph she did not want the money and had asked staff if there was any way they could stop the payment.
She added that if that wasn’t possible, she would give it all to a local charity in her constituency, although she hadn’t yet decided which one.
Ms Donnellan was the shortest-serving cabinet minister in British history, breaking a 239-year-old record of four days set during the Pitt Younger government.
She said leaving her dream job had been “extremely difficult” and was aware of the “moral imperative to prioritize young people as they head towards their exams”.
Five ministers left the cabinet in the coup against Mr Johnson, while a sixth, Michael Gove, was sacked. They will each receive £16,876.
Seven middle-ranking ministers who have also stood down are waiting on £7,920 each, while 15 of the most junior ranks are entitled to £5,594.
“Infighting and incompetence cost the taxpayer”
Opposition MPs are now calling on those Conservatives who stand down to forego the payments or follow Ms Donelan’s lead and donate them to charity.
Wendy Chamberlain, Lib Dem chief whip, said: “Infighting and sheer incompetence are costing the taxpayer more money during this cost of living crisis.”
Rupa Hook, a Labor MP, asked the government to confirm that former ministers would not take the money “because we don’t reward failure”.
On Thursday, Mr Johnson appointed a host of new cabinets and junior ministers, despite already announcing he was stepping down as prime minister.
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