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Theresa May’s top two aides are paid a combined £280,000 a year, figures revealed tonight.

The Prime Minister’s joint chiefs of staff, Fiona Hill and Nick Timothy, each pocket £140,000 salaries.

Ed Llewellyn, their predecessor when David Cameron was in No 10, also earned £140,000 a year - but he carried out the role alone.

Mrs May’s press chief Katie Perrior gets £125,000, while the PM herself receives £149,440 a year.

(Image: Barcroft Media)

A regular transparency update showed there were 83 special advisers working across Whitehall compared with 95 a year ago under Mr Cameron.

Their total pay bill for the coming year is estimated at is £7.9million, which includes employer pension contributions and National Insurance costs.

Labour Deputy Leader Tom Watson described some of the pay packets as “eye watering”.

(Image: Daily Mirror)

He said: “While most people are having to tighten their belts under the Tories, it’s a completely different story for those in Theresa May’s inner circle.

“It shows that for the Tories it’s one rule for them and another for everyone else.”