That’s rich! Anger as charity chief Miliband lands £20k pay hike

DAVID Miliband has brushed aside outrage from MPs over his sevenfigure salary to collect another pay rise from a charity that is heavily funded by British taxpayers.

The former Foreign Secretary was handed a rise of almost $26,000 (nearly £20,000) last year – taking his pay package as president of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to an astonishing $1,045,597 (£768,000).

His income from the charity has more than tripled since he took charge eight years ago, according to data given to US tax authorities.

‘These sums are simply ludicrous,’ said Tory MP Pauline Latham, a member of the international development committee. ‘I find it utterly staggering that his pay has gone up so much in such a short time. I’ve seen him out with his begging bowl asking governments for more money but aid donations are meant to benefit people you claim to help, not end up in your own pocket.’

The New York-based charity, founded by Albert Einstein in 1933, has been given almost £110 million from the British aid budget over the past two years. Its latest data shows that Mr Miliband – who hit out at ‘immoral’ fat cats when he stood as Labour leader – received a housing allowance and bonus of $50,000 (£36,728) each, and pension contributions worth $48,100 (£35,259) last year.

The former MP for South Shields is listed as a celebrity speaker with several agencies. One firm quotes his fees between $50,000 and $100,000. Mr Miliband condemned the Government’s decision to reduce aid in the pandemic. ‘The cuts in the aid budget are going to impact on some of the poorest people in the world,’ he said. Yet his earnings – almost five times the Prime Minister’s pay – have sparked concern that charity bosses are abusing aid budgets.

An IRC spokesman said Mr Miliband’s salary was set by its board of directors’ compensation committee, and was in the midrange of New York non-profit chief salaries. Mr Miliband responded to questions this year by saying the charity ensured executive salaries were covered by money from its endowment.

‘Anyone donating to us can be confident about where their money is going,’ he added.