Liz Truss' chief of staff will no longer be paid by her lobbying firm after outrage

No 10 confirmed on Tuesday that senior assistant Mark Fullbrook would now be put on a special adviser contract and paid directly by the government to avoid 'speculation'< /p > Liz Truss' chief of staff, Mark Fullbrook (

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Liz Truss' top Downing Street aide will no longer be paid through her lobbying firm - after the arrangement sparked outrage.

No 10 confirmed on Tuesday that chief of staff Mark Fullbrook will now be contracted as a special adviser and paid directly by the government.

The Liberal Democrats said the U-turn raises more questions than it answers, including about Liz Truss' judgment.

"Why did No 10 spend days trying to defend this nomination only to back out when it was reviewed?" they added.

It comes after the Sunday Times reported that the Prime Minister's senior aide would receive his salary through Fullbrook Solutions, a lobbying firm he set up in April but has since suspended trading.

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The Cabinet Office insisted this weekend that it was not "unusual" for a special adviser to join the government on "secondment".

A spokesperson for Mr. Fullbrook had also insisted: "This is not an unusual arrangement. It was not put in place for tax purposes and Mr. Fullbrook derives no tax benefit from it. "

But on Tuesday, a No10 spokesperson said: 'While there are established arrangements for employees to join the government on secondment, to avoid speculation Mark Fullbrook will be employed directly by the government under a special adviser contract.

Lib Dems says this decision raises questions "about the judgment of Liz Truss" (

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"All government employees, including those on secondment, are subject to necessary checks and vetting, and all special advisers declare their interests in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines."

The arrangement had already sparked outrage from the opposition, and Labor deputy leader Angela Rayner said it was an "I...