Foreign Office asked why it made two payments to the Canaries when Liz Truss was foreign secretary.
Image source, ReutersLiz Truss is facing questions over Foreign Office spending, including £1,841 at Norwich City’s online shop during her time as foreign secretary.
Labour’s shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry queried the use of Foreign Office expense cards, up 45% on last year, in a letter to the department.
She asked why officials had incurred a number of costs, including two payments to the then Premier League club.
The Foreign Office has been approached for comment.
The payments were made on two dates: £1,318 on 21 October and £523.50 on 21 March.
At the time, South West Norfolk MP Liz Truss was leading the department as foreign secretary.
She has previously tweeted about Norwich City, including in 2018, when she was Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
I support safe standing being allowed in the Championship and Premier League. More choice and better atmosphere for fans. Proud @NorwichCityFC have led the way on this. #freetostand #ncfc pic.twitter.com/depqHAVI6W
— Liz Truss (@trussliz)
She was meeting with leaders in the Gulf in October 2021 and in March was in Ukraine meeting with the country’s defence minister, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Image source, Getty Images
It is not know who requested the payments, or what was purchased.
At a Conservative leadership debate in July, Ms Truss admitted to a crowd of party members at Leeds United’s Elland Road that she was a Norwich City fan.
“They’re a fine family club, what can I say?” she told them.
“Delia [Smith, the joint majority share holder]’s a great woman, great cookbooks, I think you can all agree.”
Ignore the noise. Be brave. Exciting times. #ncfc #otbc https://t.co/d5dxF7Ml7N
— Liz Truss (@trussliz)
In her letter, addressed to Foreign Office junior minister Gillian Keegan MP, Ms Thornberry wrote that it was difficult to understand why the department had spent money on items such as “high-end private catering; wellness and beauty treatments; extensive supplies from UK wineries; large amounts of home furnishing; and even £1,841 at the Norwich City club shop”.
She also asked how officials managed to spend £4,333 on “two trips to the hairdresser”.
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