A Tory donor who was Jacob Rees-Mogg’s business partner has been given a Lords seat for life - for just 26 days’ work in the government.
Dominic Johnson, 48, can pocket £332 every day he turns up until he dies or gives up his peerage, even though he was sacked as a minister on Friday.
Labour had already blasted Liz Truss for employing the “crony party donor” when he was made a Trade Minister on October 2.
Because he was not an MP, in order to get a ministerial job he had to be awarded a life peerage by the King.
Now after Rishi Sunak took power, he has been dumped as a Trade Minister in the new PM’s reshuffle.
But it is too late to reverse his peerage and Lord Johnson, who has donated more than £250,000 to the Tories since 2014, is listed as a Conservative life peer.
Shadow Trade Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said: “This is yet another example of Conservative cronyism costing the taxpayer and damaging our country’s reputation.
“The Government is failing to deliver the trade deals they promised, costing Britain vital growth opportunities and jobs.
“Yet, rather than find the right person for an important job, they picked one of Jacob Rees Mogg's mates - who it turns out was ennobled for life in order to be a Minister for a month.
“Yet another example of the crony revolving door. This is what happens when you have a Government that puts party first and the country second."
Lord Johnson founded Somerset Capital Management with ousted Business Secretary Mr Rees-Mogg in 2007.
He also served as vice-chairman of the Conservative Party between 2016 and 2019, and has donated more than £250,000 to the party since 2014.
His dismissal was confirmed by an update to the Government's website on Monday, which said he had left office on October 28.
By that point he had only been a peer for nine days because it took until October 19 for his Lords seat to take effect.
Simon Murray, who also became a peer on October 19 to enable him to do a ministerial job, has been retained at the Home Office by the new Prime Minister but has been demoted from minister of state to parliamentary under-secretary.
The Mirror contacted Lord Johnson to ask if he plans to give up his peerage voluntarily.
