‘We’re worth it’ L’Oreal to repay furlough cash

THE furlough scheme is ‘naturally winding down’, Chancellor Rishi Sunak said last week. While that may be true for some, others need more of a nudge.

For example, the cosmetic giant L’Oreal, which readers will recall took inspiration from its ‘Because I’m Worth It’ slogan when claiming taxpayers’ funds in the pandemic.

But now I can reveal the firm has pledged to repay its near £6 million furlough cash after I asked, above, why such a profitable business was claiming it in the first place.

L’Oreal, you see, cleared a near £5 billion profit during 2020. Yet when the second lockdown struck in December, it started claiming on the scheme. By January this year, L’Oreal had taken nearly £1 million.

Newly released HMRC data shows that by March the figure was somewhere ‘between £2.5 million and £ 6 million’. Originally t he beauty giant insisted its furlough claims were within the rules.

But last night there was a U-turn after being informed it would be starring in this column once more.

A spokesman said L’Oreal would repay all the furlough claims made during the second lockdown.

Others happy to let taxpayers stump up for workers’ wages include Formula 1 heiress Petra Ecclestone,

Because we’re worth it... L’Oreal defends £1m furlough claim

socialists Tony and Cherie Blair and professional geezers Guy Ritchie and Jamie Oliver, not forgetting the Scottish golf resort of one Donald Trump. Like L’Oreal, they’re worth it. So it’s time to cough up.