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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Politics
Tim Baker

Downing Street aide sacked by Dominic Cummings 'offered £40,000 payout'

Sonia Khan at the Conservative Party annual conference (Picture: PA)

A sacked Downing Street adviser has been offered a payout of around £40,000, it is claimed.

Sonia Khan was marched out of Number 10 by armed police after being fired by Boris Johnson’s de facto chief of staff Dominic Cummings.

Ms Khan, 27, is believed to be in line to get the lump sum following her on-the-spot dismissal, according to The Daily Telegraph.

The special adviser - or SpAd - worked in Number 11 Downing Street for Chancellor Sajid Javid.

But she was fired following a 10 minute meeting with Mr Cummings over allegations she had been involved in the leaked Operation Yellowhammer assessment of a No Deal scenario.

She would have been earning between £53,000 and £70,000 while working for the Government.

Chancellor Sajid Javid was understood to be furious about Ms Khan's sacking (AP)

Ms Khan declined to comment, but a friend told the paper: “Once again, the taxpayer is paying the price for ­Dominic Cummings’ behaviour. Sonia deserves an apology for what he did to her, not hush money.

“Cummings should be punished for how he’s treated Sonia.

“Instead, he’s been rewarded with even more power over hiring and ­firing. Incredible.”

The firing reportedly left Mr Javid furious, as he was not told before it happened at the end of last month.

Mr Cummings is said to have gone through Ms Khan’s work and personal phones to see who she had been contacting.

Dominic Cummings has drawn criticism for his actions working for the Government (PA)

The SpAd had worked for the previous Chancellor Philip Hammond - who many in Number 10 think was behind the Yellowhammer leak.

After Ms Khan was sacked she was marched out of the front door of Number 10 Downing Street by armed police.

Speaking just after the sacking, Mr Hammond said: “It’s extraordinary that Dominic Cummings should have chosen to pick on he

“She ironically is a very firm Brexiteer. If she went to an employment tribunal, I suspect she would win her case.”

A Cabinet Office spokesman said: “We do not comment on individual personnel matters.”

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