It seems obvious that ordinary people will be asked to give up more to reduce the deficit. We ask that Parliament also seeks to reduce the Public Duty Costs Allowance that former prime ministers (PMs) can claim once they leave office.

Ex-PMs can claim up to £115,000 per year, for the rest of their lives, to help with the cost of public duties. It is a huge lifetime benefit for a temporary role. This assistance should be limited to 5 years after a PM leaves office. Ex-PMs also receive lifetime police protection. Protection when abroad is costly and - currently - can be provided even if foreign travel is undertaken for personal financial gain. When ex-PMs travel abroad, protection should only be provided when travel is purely for official business, not for personal income.