London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Aug 28, 2025

Liz Truss's top aide Mark Fullbrook paid by his own lobbying firm

Liz Truss's top aide Mark Fullbrook paid by his own lobbying firm

The PM's closest aide Mark Fullbrook is not paid directly by the government - but instead gets his salary via a private firm, it has emerged.
Opposition parties have described the arrangement as "shocking" and called for an urgent investigation into possible conflicts of interest.

Liz Truss appointed Mr Fullbrook as her chief of staff earlier this month.

His salary is reported to be paid via his own lobbying firm Fullbrook Strategies, which was set up in March.

This is despite the fact that the firm's website saying it "has currently suspended its commercial activities".

A spokesperson for Mr Fullbrook told BBC News: "This is not an unusual arrangement. It was not put in place for tax purposes and Mr Fullbrook derives no tax benefit from it."

However, the spokesperson did not respond to questions about whether Fullbrook Strategies had suspended "commercial activities" and, if it had, why it might be hiring Mr Fullbrook on secondment to the government.

Downing Street and the Cabinet Office, which is directly responsible for employing Mr Fullbrook, have both refused to confirm exactly how he is employed and paid.

However, a Cabinet Office spokesperson said: "It is not unusual for a special adviser or civil servant to join government on secondment.

"The government will pay the salary of an employee on secondment, including costs such as Employers National Insurance contributions to the seconding company.

"This has been cleared by the Propriety and Ethics team in Cabinet Office."

But the Institute for Government think tank told BBC News that this did appear to be an unusual arrangement.

Catherine Haddon, senior fellow at the institute, and a former employee in Downing Street, said she could not think of another situation where a special advisor would be on secondment rather than being employed directly by the civil service.

Ms Haddon said there would be a particular concern about any potential conflicts of interest that might arise. She pointed to recent concerns about MPs' second jobs and said the government would need to be "upfront about what they are doing to manage any conflicts of interest".

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: "Liz Truss's administration is proving to be nothing more than the same as Boris Johnson's".

She added: "We need to see an urgent independent investigation into any conflicts of interest."

Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner said: "The shocking revelation that the prime minister's chief of staff is on loan from a lobbying company, not actually employed by the government, raises serious questions about the new prime minister's judgement."

Ms Rayner said a Labour government "would create an Independent Ethics and Integrity Commission to clean up public life and restore the basic standards we expect".
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
×