Water Minister Emma Hardy has hit back at claims that the Labour Government is in “meltdown,” following the shock departure of Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald just 14 months into his tenure.
The departure of Mr Wormald has sparked a firestorm in Westminster, with reports suggesting a £260,000 “golden goodbye” for the civil servant, a figure Ms Hardy told GB News she could not yet verify.
Speaking on GB News, Ms Hardy said: “I think it’s really important to have the best possible team, and I want to pay tribute to Sir Chris for his 35 years of service as a civil servant.
“I also want to acknowledge all civil servants for the hard work they do. But to tackle the challenges we face, we need the strongest team in place.
“Here in Hull, where I’m speaking to you from today, the number one issue people raise with me is the cost of living and how difficult life is for so many families and working people.
“That’s why having the best possible team is so crucial so we can do everything we can to address these issues.
“I was really pleased listening to the Prime Minister in our meeting last Wednesday that he made this his priority.
“Much of the work I’ve been doing over the past year, particularly around flooding and water, has been about laying the foundations and making sure we’re ready to deliver.
Water Minister Emma Hardy said that the PM is focused on the cost of living
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GB NEWS
GB News host Anne Diamond said: “But I’ll tell you what, isn’t that difficult? Just acknowledging as you did there, that most people are worried about the cost of living and how they’re just going to get from one day to the next.
“Reading about the fact that Sir Keir Starmer appointed this cabinet secretary 14 months ago, obviously they’ve had their problems together and it suddenly come to the top of the, you know, the come to the boil and he’s getting rid of him at the cost to us of £260,000.
“That’s quarter of £1million is going to this one, man. It’s going to be very, very difficult for you to defend that to your constituents, isn’t it?”
She also defended the PM for his trip abroad
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X / KEIR STARMERThe MP responded: “Well, that’s been a leak that came out in the newspapers, so at the moment I can’t verify it. That’s just something I read, and I know you’ve probably seen it too.
“There’s been no confirmation that this is the actual payout he’s receiving.
“But you’re right people do care about the cost of living, and they also care about payouts like this and where money is coming from.
“That’s why the work we’re doing to clean up politics is so important.
“We’re looking at where MPs earn extra income, who is funding them, and how people may be trying to influence our democracy.
“Each politician needs to be mindful that they are acting for the right reasons, and I honestly believe the vast majority across all parties are.
“At the same time, we must address the serious issue of foreign interference in our democracy.
“The electoral reforms we announced yesterday are a positive step in cleaning up our politics and making the system more transparent and accountable.”