Posh’s U-turn over furlough cash
VICTORIA Beckham has axed plans to ask for taxpayer cash to pay dozens of staff at her lossmaking fashion label during the Covid crisis.
The U-turn came after the former Posh Spice faced fierce criticism for her decision to draw on the public purse. Mrs Beckham, 46, and her footballer husband David, 44, are estimated to be worth £ 55million. The couple and their four children have been self-isolating at their £6million Cotswolds mansion.
Around 0 of 120 staff were told they were being placed on furlough a fortnight ago, meaning the Government would pay up to 80 per cent of their salaries to a maximum of £2,500 per month each. The move was likely to cost the taxpayer £150,000.
But Mrs Beckham said yesterday the application had been withdrawn.
She told The Guardian: ‘We will not now be drawing on the Government furlough scheme. At the beginning of the lockdown the shareholders agreed with senior management to furlough a small proportion of staff.
‘At that point we didn’t know how long the lockdown might last or its likely impact on the business. The welfare of my team and our business means everything to me.’
A friend said last night that she had listened to the mood of the country and decided that it was best for her, her employees and the UK to withdraw the application
Her request for public money came amid a row over Government wage subsidies being exploited by ultra-wealthy business owners.
Topshop boss Sir Philip Green and Virgin Atlantic tycoon Sir Richard Branson are among those using the scheme to pay workers.