David Miliband slammed for salary of nearly $1 million as charity boss

The International Rescue Committee chief executive has spoken at events organised by the Qatar Foundation

Former British Foreign secretary David Miliband delivers a joint speech on Brexit and trade in Rainham, Essex on May 14, 2018. (Photo by CHRIS J RATCLIFFE / AFP)

The salary of David Miliband, chief executive of the International Rescue Committee, has risen to almost $1 million (Dh3.67m) a year.

The former UK Foreign Secretary, whose charity has at times worked closely with bodies run by the Qatari royal family, saw his pay package surge by $240,047 (Dh881,741) to $911,796 (Dh3.35m), according to the Mail On Sunday.

Mr Miliband, who is rumoured to be mulling a return to front-line politics since stepping down as an MP in 2013, has a package in the middle of the range of New York’s non-profit leaders, says the IRC.

It has been given £107m (Dh483.7m) over the last two years by the UK’s international development ministry to support its projects across the globe.

"I don't know how he can justify that, I don't know how the British taxpayer can justify that, and I don't know how the government can justify giving British taxpayers' money to an organisation where the charity boss is earning that much," Tom Swarbrick, a former Downing Street advisor, told LBC.

Mr Miliband, who was a Labour MP, has previously spoken at events organised by the Qatar Foundation, which was founded by the former Qatari emir.

“They say charity begins at home and clearly it does for the top bosses in this organisation,” said Conservative MP Nigel Evans, a member of the UK’s International Development Committee.

“This is a grotesque waste of money given by British taxpayers to help the most vulnerable families around the world. Instead, it is being funnelled to the Miliband family – and until the IRC puts their house in order we should stop funding them.”