TBF, the thread title comes from Nadine Dorries who does not understand the Parliamentary rules and has used her column in the Daily Mail to broadcast that to the nation.
Her severance was paid by mistake as she was over 65. It’s been law since at least 1991 that Ministers over the age of 65 do not receive severance pay.
Rayner was entitled to severance pay as she is under 65, had served as a Cabinet Minister for over six months and was not found to have made a serious breach of the ministerial code. The word serious is key.
And, as I said above, there wouldn't be £17,000 to hand back as over £10,000 of the payment would have gone to the Exchequer in tax.
It's just more Daily Mail rage baiting.