Mark Fullbrook, Liz Truss’s new chief of staff, is being paid for through his lobbying company in a move that may help him minimize tax
In a highly unusual move, the prime minister’s most senior adviser is receiving his salary through Fullbrook Strategies.
It comes after Kwasi Kwarteng, the chancellor, repealed IR35 rules in the budget last week that was introduced in an attempt to stop people from paying themselves through companies rather than
Fullbrook had previously claimed to the Guardian that he had stopped all commercial activities of the lobbying company as of 31 August this year
Kwarteng said he had no knowledge of the arrangements but praised Fullbrook for enhancing the government.
A spokesperson for Fullbrook said: “This is not an unusual arrangement. It was not put in place for tax purposes and Mr. Fullbrook derives no tax benefit from it.”
But Frances O’Grady, the TUC general secretary, told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuennsberg: “We’d all like to be the judge of that but it’s not even transparent. What is going on?”
“All government employees are subject to the necessary checks and vetting, and all special advisers declare their interests in line with Cabinet Office guidance,
They added: “The government will pay the salary of an employee on secondment, including costs such as employers’ national insurance contributions, to the seconding company.