No10's £100k for 2 works of art..

Purchases emerge amid pay & benefits cut plans

- RACHEL WEARMOUTH

NEARLY £100,000 was spent on two artworks to adorn the walls of 10 Downing Street as Boris Johnson drew up plans to cut public sector pay and slash benefits.

Official documents show the works were bought through the Government Art Collection fund, which is bolstered by taxpayers.

The extravagance was revealed as millions of lowincome families brace themselves for Rishi Sunak’s £20-a-week cut to Universal Credit and after the Government imposed a real-terms pay cut for teachers and police officers last month.

Accounts show £70,200 was spent on a painting by Belfast artist Cathy Wilkes, 54. The untitled 24in by 28in blue and pink work is egg tempura on linen.

3% Pay offer to NHS staff after proposed rise of 1% dubbed ‘insulting’