Why Boris Johnson signed off £250,000 for his ousted Whitehall chief
The IndependentPoliticians and civil servants have more in common than either “side” would care to admit. In his earlier, oddly and obviously carefully phrased letter to the prime minister, Sir Mark states that “we have agreed that I will stand down and leave government service at the end of September”. A further clue as to what was really happening emerged in the form of a “personal minute” written by Boris Johnson recording the reasons why Sir Mark will receive some £248,189, apparently headed for Sir Mark’s pension fund. Johnson was in effect taking responsibility as “line manager” for the unorthodox payment to Sir Mark and directing the chief operating officer for the civil service, and permanent secretary at the Cabinet Office, Alex Chisholm, to release the public funds, given that Chisholm worked with Sedwill. But Priti Patel remains due in court to face her former top civil servant, Sir Philip Rutnam, and if Cummings has his way many more senior Whitehall figures will feel a “hard rain” pouring down on them, albeit with the compensatory prospect of a large boost to their security in retirement.
History of this topic
Boris Johnson attacked for being 'out for himself ' after receiving £43,000 for speech backing no-deal Brexit
The Independent
Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill is 'facing the axe' if Boris Johnson becomes Prime Minister
Daily MailDiscover Related
