Cabinet Office releases costing details after being forced to ask for more money to cover cost of June’s vote

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Theresa May’s snap election that resulted in the loss of her majority cost the public purse more than £140m, the Cabinet Office has said.

The department released the costings after being forced to ask for more money to cover the cost of the vote.

In a written statement, Chris Skidmore, a Cabinet Office minister, said £98m was spent by returning officers to run the poll and a further £42m on posted material.

The sum is an increase of 16% on the 2015 general election, which cost £123m, and 25% on the 2010 election, which cost £113m.

However, it is slightly less expensive than the EU referendum of 2016, which came to a total of around £142m.

The costs are higher than previous elections because it was a standalone event rather than being combined with local elections, which is usually the case for polls held in May.

It covers the expense of millions of postal votes, poll cards and ballot papers as well as manning polling stations and counts across the country.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority also spends millions on “winding-up” costs for MPs who lose their jobs at the election.

May’s lost majority also came at a price because the government offered an extra £1bn for Northern Ireland at the same time as striking a confidence and supply deal with the Democratic Unionist party.

Jon Trickett, a shadow Cabinet Office minister, said: “Theresa May has been left with egg on her face and the taxpayer is picking up the bill. The prime minister said there was no magic money tree to give nurses a proper pay rise.

“But she spent £140 million of taxpayers’ cash on a failed bid to boost her majority that’s led to a zombie government.”

The Cabinet Office said in a statement: “The House of Commons was invited to vote on whether or not to hold an early general election. Democratically-elected MPs voted in favour of holding the election.”