Chancellor George Osborne has tripled the amount of taxpayers money he spends employing Special Advisers since he took office in 2010, at the same time as cutting opposition party funding.
 
In 2010 he employed four special advisers at a total cost of around £230,000 a year.
 
New figures slipped out before Christmas have revealed that the total cost has now risen to £700,000. In addition, he now employs ten Special Advisers.
 
One Special Adviser – Thea Rogers – has received a 42 per cent pay rise in the last year.
 
Commenting Jon Ashworth MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister without Portfolio, said:
 
“It’s clear George Osborne has one eye on the leadership as he continues to build his empire within government.
 
“To hand a pay rise of over 40 per cent to one of his closest advisers at a time when many families across the country are struggling to make ends meet is nothing short of outrageous.”