The former UK science minister George Freeman has warned that politics is fast becoming an unaffordable career, and he was forced to quit his job in government owing to a surge in the cost of his mortgage
Freeman, who resigned last November during a reshuffle by prime minister Rishi Sunak, said in a Substack blog he could not afford his mortgage going up to £2,000 a month on his previous ministerial salary of £118,300.
The MP for Mid Norfolk explained his rationale for resigning: “Because my mortgage rises this month from £800 [per calendar month] to £2,000, which I simply couldn’t afford to pay on a ministerial salary. That’s political economy 2.0.”
Backbench MPs are paid £86,584 a year but, unlike ministers, they can make extra money from outside interests.
“We’re in danger of making politics something only hedge fund donors, young spin-doctors and failed trade unionists can afford to Do,” said Freeman.
The MP told The New Statesman on Monday that his finances had been negatively affected by “a very painful divorce”.
Freeman, who has a majority of 22,594 from the 2019 election, has not yet clarified whether he will seek re-election.
