Ed Miliband’s publicly funded Great British Energy will give its boss more than three times Sir Keir Starmer’s pay packet. The chief executive, who has yet to be found, will receive a basic wage of £350,000 a year to oversee the clean energy quango.
They will also receive a potential bonus worth £175,000 – exceeding the £172,153 salary paid to the Prime Minister. The successful candidate will also be allowed to work from home two days a week.
The details were revealed in a job advert for the role as officials attempt to sweeten the offer after struggling to find anyone to take up the spot.
GB Energy recently appointed Dan McGrail, the former boss of the Renewable UK trade body, as interim chief for six months. Insiders expect him to apply for the permanent post.
The recruitment advert says Mr Miliband is looking for “an inspirational leader with extensive board-level experience who is adept at shaping and delivering strategic vision… with a demonstrable vision for and commitment to making Great British Energy an integral part of the Aberdeen and UK Energy Sector community”.
The chairman of GB Energy last month repeatedly refused to say when household prices would be slashed by Sir Keir’s flagship green election pledge.
The Prime Minister promised voters the state-owned energy firm, which will be headquartered in the northeast of Scotland, would cut consumer energy bills by as much as £300.
But GB Energy’s Juergen Maier admitted it could take 20 years to deliver a Labour government pledge of 1,000 jobs for Aberdeen and refused to put a date on when energy bills will drop.
Labour faced a backlash earlier this week over a key net zero role being advertised with a yearly salary equivalent to £255,000.
The Chair of the Low Carbon Contracts Company, sponsored by Mr Miliband’s department, would earn £102,500 a year to work two days a week.
It is equivalent to a full-time salary of £255,000. But the job advert has sparked a backlash from politicians and campaigners.
Tory peer Lord Mackinlay, who chairs the Net Zero Scrutiny Group, told GB News: “The LCCC is yet another Government quango few will have heard of which is merrily adding to the black hole of Net Zero waste.
“This latest advertised role of chairman at a huge part-time salary speaks volumes about their approach.
“Limitless taxpayer cost for a pointless endeavour. Close it down.”