No 10 officials won’t deny £58k loan claim
OFFICIALS at No 10 declined to deny that Boris Johnson used a Conservative Party loan to help redecorate his Downing Street flat.
Tory chiefs are understood to have approved a £58,000 payment to the Cabinet Office in July last year to cover the refurbishment. That was on top of £30,000 made available by the Treasury each year for upkeep of the PM’s official living quarters.
Mr Johnson is believed to have repaid the loan and not received further party funds.
Reports suggest the cost of redecorating the flat in No 11 Downing Street where he lives with fiancee Carrie Symonds and their son Wilf has risen to around £200,000.
A row over the bills erupted after former adviser Dominic Cummings claimed Mr Johnson wanted Tory donors to “secretly pay” for the work in an “unethical, foolish, possibly illegal” move.
A No 10 spokeswoman said last night: “Any costs of wider refurbishment this year beyond those provided for by the annual allowance have been met by the Prime Minister personally.
“Conservative Party funds are not being used for this.”
The PM asked Cabinet Secretary Simon Case to carry out a review of the upkeep of Downing Street. Labour demanded the inquiry is expanded to cover a denial of claims about
the loan by his ex-press secretary Allegra Stratton.
Last month Ms Stratton, now spokeswoman for the COP environment summit, said: “Conservative Party funds are not being used to pay for any refurbishment of the Downing Street estate.”
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner urged Mr Case to investigate “whether the former press secretary knowingly misled journalists and the public, or was misled herself by senior members of the Government who seem intent on a cover-up”. Ms Stratton has yet to respond.
Mr Johnson also faced questions over delays to the regular list of declarations of ministerial interests. His spokesman said it would not be updated until after No 10 appoints a new adviser on ministerial standards.
Sir Alex Allan resigned after Mr Johnson stood by Home Secretary Priti Patel in a “bullying” row.