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Liz Truss's Foreign Office spend at Norwich City questioned

Reuters Liz TrussReuters
Liz Truss was Foreign Secretary - pictured here announcing sanctions on Russia in March - when both payments were made

Liz 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.

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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.

Getty Images Milot Rashica (right)Getty Images
Norwich City were relegated from the Premier League to the Championship in May

It is not known 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."

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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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