Former Tory chairman Grant Shapps given £8,000 'golden goodbye'

Former Tory chairman Grant Shapps received a “golden goodbye” of nearly £8,000 after he resigned during the Tory bullying controversy, it emerged today.

The £7,920 payment was revealed amid claims of a “whitewash” over the suicide of Tory activist Elliott Johnson in 2015.

Mr Shapps was cleared of wrongdoing by an inquiry by law firm Clifford Chance into whether Mr Johnson, 21, died as a result of alleged bullying by campaign organiser Mark Clarke. The firm revealed Mr Shapps had seen a Tory report in 2010 describing “Tatler Tory” Mr Clarke as “aggressive and bullying”, but was unaware of the later claims. Mr Clarke has strongly denied all allegations.

Mr Shapps resigned as overseas development minister last November.

Ray Johnson, Elliott’s father, said the inquiry was “nothing more than a cover-up”.