Exeter Cabinet visit cost more than £50,000
GORDON Brown’s decision to bring his entire Cabinet to the Westcountry cost the taxpayer more than £50,000, the Cabinet Office has revealed.
Almost every senior minister descended on Exeter, and other Labour seats in the region, as part of the Prime Minister’s series of regional Cabinet visits. The Exeter visit attracted particular controversy when it emerged Labour’s deputy leader Harriet Harman used the taxpayer-funded trip to plot election strategy with party officials and unions.
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COST: Gordon Brown in Exeter
Critics last night claimed the taxpayer had picked up the bill for “partisan electioneering”.
The Cabinet Office said the event, on February 5, was “linked with a number of ministerial visits across the region”. The total cost of a “public engagement event followed by a formal Cabinet meeting” was £51,964, excluding VAT.
The figure includes “the cost of hiring the venue, catering, associated security and search equipment, delegate management and rail travel for both staff and ministers”. However, it does not include costs incurred by other Government departments for “staff time and other support”.
The Cabinet Office said the “cost of any security provided by the police is a matter for the relevant police force”.
5 Comments
by A Welch, Exeter
Thursday, March 11 2010, 12:12PM
“Just a coincidence then that these are happening during election year.
I assume that the "tax payer" is national rather than local.”
by Tony, Exeter
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 10:16PM
“A stupidly sensationalist story. People complain that politicians are remote from the people, and when they make an effort to get closer to us we complain about the cost. In fact, if you consider it rationally the figure quoted is remarkably low, and probably no more than a group of senior politicians (of whatever party) rack up on official duties in the course of a day.”
by James, Exeter
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 11:38AM
“That brings Mr Bradshaws running campaign total in the last year from the taxpayer to approx £60,000 (communications allowance and this). Not to mention the very strange rise in the ammout spent promoting Government in the last year. Who needs Ashcroft?”
by Bill, Exeter
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 11:09AM
“I will be voting for the BNP as Cameron and Brown are just the same as eachother.”
by Peter, Exeter
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 10:22AM
“I was at this conference and it was an election rally with GB glad handing and promising the impossible! Little more than a stunt.”