The Labour Government has spent nearly £115,000 for “influencer marketing” in less than a year amid promises to cut wasteful spending.

It has seen the Conservatives say the spend “makes a mockery” of the Government’s promise after Cabinet Officer Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds declared the cash supported “multiple campaigns” since the new Government communications unit was created at the start of the year.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hosted an event for online content creators over the summer with Downing Street hailing them for “shaping Britain”.

Mr Thomas-Symonds responded to a written question by Shadow Cabinet Office Minister Mike Wood, saying the “total amount spent on digital influencer marketing by the New Media Unit since its establishment is £114,769.51”.

He added that the “investment had supported multiple campaigns of varying scale and reach”.

“Influencers have proven to be effective in reaching audiences that traditional marketing channels find hard to reach,” Mr Thomas-Symonds said.

The unit was first reported in November last year.

However, it is understood it was set up and running in January.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by UK Prime Minister (@10downingstreet)

The Cabinet Office declined to provide further detail on how much money had been spent on specific campaigns, or which influencer had received money.

Mr Wood labelled the money as a “bung to influencers”.

He told The Independent that it made “a mockery of the Government’s pledge to take ‘decisive action’ to reduce wasteful spending on Government communications”.

“This £114,796.51 bung to influencers to promote this deeply unpopular government is another slap in the face for taxpayers just as Rachel Reeves prepares to announce more tax grabs.”

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• Labour braces for ANOTHER U-turn as ministers squirm over ‘back door blasphemy’ law
• Pro-Gaza MP who celebrated ban of Israeli football fans questioned Oct 7 atrocities
• Nigel Farage issued knife-edge warning that could ‘implode’ Reform or hand him keys to No10

Mr Wood said the Conservatives were the only party with a “plan to tackle Government waste by cutting the civil service headcount”.

“Ensuring taxpayers get value for money,” he added.

A Cabinet Office source told The Independent: “It is really in a changing media landscape that the Government works with creators, influencers and smaller platforms to tell our story alongside traditional media”.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves vowed to wield an “iron fist against waste” ahead of the spending review earlier this year.

The New Media Unit is situated in the Government Communications Service which is self-described as “supporting ministers’ priorities, enabling effective operation of public services and improving people’s lives”.

A job advertisement for a position in the media unit earlier this year was seeking to “connect and rebuild trust with audiences in the most effective way possible”.

It was announced in July that former Sun editor David Dinsmore would be appointed as the head of the GCS.

Meanwhile, it comes as Rachel Reeves admitted tax hikes could be coming in just weeks in a bid to fill a £30billion black hole.

It was the first time the Chancellor publicly confirmed tax rises were on the cards in the Budget, which she is set to deliver on November 26.

“Of course, we’re looking at tax and spending,” Ms Reeves told Sky News.

“But the numbers will always add up with me as Chancellor because we saw just three years ago what happens when a Government, where the Conservatives, lost control of the public finances: inflation and interest rates went through the roof.”