Outrage over £2.6million spent on 'diversity' roles

THE “pointless spending” of £2.6million of taxpayers’ cash on equality, diversity and inclusion staff should be halted, the government was urged last night.

- BY DAVID WILLIAMSON

Five departments have spent the money on roles which critics say resulted in worse public services.

At the Department for Work and Pensions, the equivalent of around 14 staff work on these issues, costing the taxpayer £1,121,565.

The figures were obtained by former Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe - who has launched his own party, Restore Britain. He wants diversity roles scrapped and also backs a “vastly reduced public sector”.

Andrew Western, a junior minister at the DWP, defended the spending, saying the staff supported vulnerable customers and the initiatives can “help prevent issues related to discrimination or exclusion, reducing grievances and costly disputes”.