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PEER AIDES MONEY SCANDAL

Labour peer Baroness Scotland paid two aides £15,000 each a month of taxpayers money

Controversial Secretary-General of the Commonwealth under pressure to explain why two former Labour flunkeys have been put on her payroll at such vast expense

Baroness Scotland

A LABOUR Peer paid two aides a staggering £15,000 a month each from taxpayers’ coffers it emerged last night.

Controversial Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Baroness Scotland is under intense pressure to explain why two former Labour flunkeys have been put on her payroll at such vast expense.

Baroness Scotland
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Baroness Scotland, who is paid £160,000 salary, is under intense pressure to explain her aides were paid so muchCredit: Getty Images

As the most senior political chief of the the union of 53 nations, the former Labour Cabinet Minister is paid £160,000 salary a, grace-and-favour home, car and chauffeur.

But her employment of Matthew Doyle and Joe Phelan has sparked outrage after the bill came to £15,000 each in April, £15,000 each in May and £18,000 each in June.

Tory MP James Cleverly said last night: “The trust of our Commonwealth Partners has never been more important and we need a clear explanation as to the circumstances of this expenditure and any delay in doing so will only damage our international credibility.”

Tory MP James Cleverly
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James Cleverly MP has demanded a "clear explanation" for the expenditureCredit: Eastnews Press Agency

Baroness Scotland has never been far from controversy after refusing to resign as Attorney General in 2009 after being exposed for employing an illegal immigrant.