Lib Dems attack £1.4 million Downing Street press machine
The Liberal Democrats have claimed that the Downing Street press office cost almost £1.4 million to run last year.
Treasury spokesman David Laws said the running costs of the No 10 press office soared by £223,458 in 2003, to £1,375,894.
Mr Laws claimed that costs had more than doubled under the Labour government and the rise amounted to a 130 per cent increase since 1997 when the press office under John Major cost an estimated £597,240.
The Lib Dem MP for Yeovil said that the prime minister had “serious questions to answer” over the spiraling costs.
“This is not what taxpayers expect their money to be spent on,” he added.
“No 10 has more than doubled the amount spent on its press office since 1997. I hope that the chancellor will look at the No 10 press machine as part of his efficiency review and cut it down to size.
“We need to make tough choices to spend less on back office bureaucracy and more on policemen, nurses and other frontline staff.
“If the prime minister wants to help the chancellor cut waste, he should start with his own office.”
A Parliamentary answer to a question from Mr Laws revealed the costs of running Number 10 press office.
