Government credit card spending revealed including hundreds at exclusive Belfast members only club

The UK Government has come under scrutiny for spending more than £900 in one transaction at an exclusive members-only club in Belfast last year, according to figures compiled by the Spectator Project Against Frivolous Funding.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spent £932.10 on the Government Procurement Card at the Ulster Reform Club on Royal Avenue on 20 February last year.

The exclusive club, which boasts an entrance fee of £250 +VAT, offers memberships ranging from £360 for a junior member under the age of 30 right up to £900 for an ordinary member residing in London.

When approached by Belfast Live, the FCDO declined to disclose the nature of the expenditure, which was incurred during the tenure of former Prime Minister David Cameron as Foreign Secretary.

Other transactions recorded on the Government Procurement Card included five purchases by the FCDO at Ikea Ireland on 13 May, 30 August and 22 September 2024, amounting to a total of £5,903.30.

Additionally, the Home Office spent £685 on a 'staff wellbeing event' at the Northern Lights bar in South Belfast on 21 March last year. Meanwhile the Cabinet Office used the Government Procurement Card to make a transaction of £750 related to the Belfast Pride festival.

In response to inquiries from Belfast Live, a government spokesperson stated: "This government is clear – all spending must be justified as we continue to tackle wasteful expenditure and inefficiency wherever it may occur.

“Our upcoming Spending Review will ensure taxpayer money is focussed firmly on the government’s Plan for Change, getting the NHS back on its feet, rebuilding Britain and securing our borders.”

These revelations come as there is a renewed focus on government-sending practices with calls for greater transparency and accountability in the use of public funds following the establishment of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the US.

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