More than 8m of public money spent on subsidies for former PMs

"More than 8m of taxpayers' money has been spent on funding the public lives of former prime ministers over the last three decades, a Guardian analysis has found. All former PMs are able to claim up to 115,000 a year until the end of their lives in a subsidy to enable them to contribute to public life after they have left Downing Street."

"The scheme, which is used to subsidise the private offices of ex-PMs, is coming under intense scrutiny after a leak of data from the Office of Boris Johnson. Cabinet Office rules stipulate that the former prime ministers must not use these public funds for private or commercial activities. The payments are only intended to help them to continue contributing to public life."

"However, the Guardian has published a series of stories based on the leaked data, which was obtained by the US non-profit Distributed Denial of Secrets (DDoS), that suggest Johnson's office has been involved in widespread commercial work. His office staff have helped vet and arrange more than 34 speeches, raising more than 5m in total, secure lucrative media contracts and work on business ventures in Venezuela, Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia."

"Johnson has claimed 182,000 since leaving government to pay for staff salaries in the private office. He has not responded directly to the dozens of questions about his business activities but denied his office had misused the subsidy scheme. This story is rubbish, he said, adding that the subsidy has been used entirely in accordance with the rules. The Guardian should change its name to Pravda."

More than £8 million of taxpayers' money has subsidised the public lives of former prime ministers over the last three decades. All former prime ministers can claim up to £115,000 a year for life to subsidise private offices and enable continued public contribution. Annual cost has more than doubled recently because there are more former prime ministers. Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and John Major each claimed over £1 million in the last decade. A leak of data from Boris Johnson's office suggests his private office arranged over 34 speeches raising more than £5 million, secured media contracts and pursued business ventures abroad. Cabinet Office rules forbid using these funds for private or commercial activities. Johnson has claimed £182,000 for staff and denies misuse, while cross-party politicians call for investigation.

Read at www.theguardian.com