Science Secretary Michelle Donelan faced criticism for smearing a scientist, leading to a £15,000 taxpayer-funded legal bill. Calls for Donelan to personally reimburse the costs were made by various figures, including Penny Mordaunt and Shadow Transport Secretary Lou Haigh.
It is beyond reprehensible that the taxpayer has had to foot the bill for Michelle Donelan's libellous slur. She should pay back every penny. https://t.co/7jblQzwFsW
“I think it is absolutely appalling.” Shadow transport sec @LouHaigh says that Michelle Donelan's legal fees shouldn't be funded by taxpayers' money. The money was used to settle a legal dispute with a professor. #PoliticsHub https://t.co/GlTNastFii 📺 Sky 501, YouTube https://t.co/Dsqq3auYoM
Penny Mordaunt defends Michelle Donelan after taxpayers foot £15,000 legal bill https://t.co/wMyVleAtyw
Michelle Donelan was Sec of State for Education from July 5th-7th 2022. 35 hours in total. For that she was due a "redundancy" of £16,000+....but didn't take it Stand Up and Fight Sunak fangirl Penny Mordaunt says we should be grateful!! https://t.co/TGXtgWEDx9
Beyond ridiculous that the taxpayer is footing the bill for this blunder. Michelle Donelan should reflect on the absurdity of the taxpayer stumping up £15,000 on her behalf, and then pay the money back. https://t.co/QLdoDDVkhz
Penny Mordaunt's defence of Michelle Donelan is staggering https://t.co/4EnLX0P05a
Michelle Donalan is Science Secretary, and Conservative MP for Chippenham. She libelled an academic, got sued and should now be paying the £15,000 legal costs & damages from her own pocket. But outrageously the Hon Member for Chipping In has sent her £15k bill to the taxpayer! https://t.co/b05eZtueAe
"When [Michelle Donelan] was entitled to redundancy payments from being a secretary of state... which was £16,000, she did not take that," Penny Mordaunt says The leader of the House adds, "that speaks volumes about the honourable lady's character" https://t.co/uTTBZNII0O https://t.co/7tLhmy0v2V
Excuses we’ve now had from govt ministers about taxpayers paying £15k damages for the Science Secretary wrong claims get more elaborate. .@PennyMordaunt‘s today was a bizarre one - we should be grateful she didn’t take £16k redundancy for being in a job for 3 days! Questions… https://t.co/8Ct5tEjEII
Commendably creative defence of Michelle Donelan for running up a £15,000 taxpayer-funded libel* bill from Penny Mordaunt – Donelan's decision to decline redundancy pay after serving about 36 hours as education secretary "speaks volumes about her character". https://t.co/FohtHpDBKJ
This stinks to high heaven Tory Cabinet minster Michelle Donelan should pay back every penny piece. https://t.co/nuAWV0NHXF
Michelle Donelan should pay that https://t.co/w9jIEazMnu
Did Michelle Donelan pay or did the taxpayer? 🤔 https://t.co/CsDUxE634S
Michelle Donelan(Science Secretary) has had to eat her words & apologise after smearing a prominent scientist, & the taxpayer ended up picking up the bill. 😡 #r4today https://t.co/gvvsY9vDH6