Chippenham MP Michelle Donelan entitled to £16k payout after two-day stint as education secretary

Michelle Donelan quit her role after less than 48 hours Credit: PA

The MP for Chippenham is entitled to a payout of nearly £17,000 after quitting her role as education secretary after less than two days.

Michelle Donelan was confirmed as the new Education Secretary on 5 July following multiple resignations in the Cabinet.

It has since been revealed Boris Johnson and Tory ministers resigning are entitled to £420,000 of severance pay.

Ms Donelan is entitled to £16,876.25.

In response to a tweet which pointed out the entitlement, she said: “If this is the case I shall be donating it in full to a local charity.”

Under the Ministerial and Other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991, MPs leaving office are entitled to a quarter of their annual ministerial salary in severance.

More than 50 MPs have resigned from government or party roles since Tuesday night (5 July), when the mass exodus was triggered by the resignations from the Cabinet of Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid.

That takes the total bill for the taxpayer to £423,000, according to analysis by the Liberal Democrats, who urged Mr Johnson and others to forgo the sum.

The Prime Minister is in line for a taxpayer handout of £18,860.

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