Read to find out the benefit Liz Truss could claim as an ex-PM, and opposition that she faces.
There were a lot of hopes for Liz Truss as the Prime Minister. On one side, she became only the third female politician to become the PM of the UK, and then she took the center-stage in a moment of volatility in the nation, in terms of the social, political, and economic environments.
With the introduction of her mini-budget alongside Kwasi Kwarteng, her downfall was initiated and she resigned from the position in just 44 days, making her the shortest-serving PM in British political history. That being said, she's still eligible for certain benefits that ex-PMs have, but some are voicing their opposition to that idea.
What are the benefits?
The Public Duty Costs Allowance (PDCA) is a system that was established by the former PM John Major in 1991 after the resignation of Margaret Thatcher. The idea was established to provide financial aid for former PMs in terms of carrying out their public duties, especially if they're attending events as a former PM, reports BBC.
The allowance is not intended for private usage or parliamentary duties, and former PMs don't simply receive the money. There is a system that's maintained that specifically pays for public duties based on the receipts that are provided.
BBC further reports that John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, and Theresa May have utilized this option, although it is not yet known if Boris Johnson opted for the same. It is also stated that former PMs cannot always claim the amount in full.
Opposition to Truss
Since 2011, the amount that's set for this allowance has been set at £115,000, and BBC reports that Major and Blair claimed the amount in full from 2020 to 2021, and other former PMs have claimed smaller amounts. Despite her short time in office, Liz Truss still has the option to draw from this tax-payer-funded allowance, but her political opponents are against that idea.
According to The New York Times, Christine Jardine, Spokeswoman for the Cabinet Office of Liberal Democrats said:
There is no way that she should be permitted to access the same £115,000 a year for life fund as her recent predecessors — all of whom served for well over two years. Truss’s legacy is an economic disaster — for which the Conservatives are making taxpayers foot the bill.
She added:
[Truss accepting the payment would leave] a bitter taste in the mouth of the millions of people struggling with spiraling bills and eye-watering mortgage rate rises thanks to the Conservatives’ economic mismanagement.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also stood against the idea and said:
She shouldn't take that entitlement. After 44 days she has not earned the right to that entitlement, she should turn it down.
The 44 days Truss spent as the PM were embroiled with opposition, particularly to the budget she presented along with Kwarteng, and this subsequently sent shockwaves across the British markets which ultimately ended up in the falling of the British Pound and government bonds.
It wasn't until Jeremy Hunt was appointed as the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the markets were quelled as he announced that he plans to axe nearly the entirety of Truss' economic plans. With such a devastating impact on the British economy in addition to such a short term in office, there may be many all across the UK who would be reflecting the sentiments expressed by Truss' political opponents.
Read more:
⋙ Former PM Liz Truss receives meme from A Muppet Show video
⋙ Dwayne Johnson suggests he may take over from Liz Truss as new PM
⋙ Richard Madeley faces backlash after 'announcing Liz Truss resignation' during MP interview
