Treasury advisor sacked by Dominic Cummings wins five-figure payout
A former government aide who was fired by Boris Johnson’s top advisor Dominic Cummings will receive a five-figure settlement from the government.
Sonia Khan, who worked as a media adviser for the Treasury, had been sacked by Cummings in August of last year. She was “frogmarched” out of Downing Street by police, according to a Daily Mail report at the time.
Khan was accused of seeking to undermine Boris Johnson’s Brexit strategy by helping his opponents, including former chancellor Philip Hammond. Sajid Javid, who was Khan’s boss at the time, was reportedly not told of the firing until after she had left Downing Street.
Settlement
Khan had mounted an employment tribunal on the grounds of unfair dismissal and sex discrimination. The case was due to be heard in December but has now been settled.
On Friday, Ms Khan released a statement through the FDA, the union for senior public servants.
“Following 14 months of negotiation, I have today reached a settlement with the Treasury, my former employer, and as a result I am no longer pursuing my employment tribunal claim which was due to be heard in London in December,” Khan said.
“I am now moving on with my life and career. I maintain great affection for the Conservative Party and remain a committed Conservative. The party took me under its wing when I was a teen and I feel hugely privileged to have served as a special adviser under the last two Prime Ministers,” she added.
No official figure on the settlement has been released. However, The Times reported today, citing government sources, that the settlement would be “between £50,000 and £100,000.”
The settlement comes only hours after the news broke that Dominic Cummings will likely resign at the end of the year. Cummings was expected to give evidence at the tribunal.