... and he admits he got a free holiday at pal Goldsmith’s family villa
THE Prime Minister yesterday confirmed that he enjoyed a free holiday in a luxury Spanish villa owned by Zac Goldsmith’s family.
He spent around a week at the property in the hills above Marbella last month following the Conservative Party conference.
In the latest register of ministerial interests, Boris Johnson revealed the getaway was funded by Lord Goldsmith, the former MP to whom he gave a peerage after he lost his Commons seat.
The value of the holiday was not stated, although this will have to be declared on the separate Commons register of financial interests. Stays in the Costa del Sol holiday home set in 600 acres of grounds have previously been marketed at up to £25,000 a week.
The register published yesterday said: ‘The Prime Minister has a longstanding personal friendship with the Goldsmith family and, in that capacity, in October 2021, stayed in a holiday home in southern Spain which was provided free of charge by the Goldsmiths.
‘Given Lord Goldsmith is a Minister of the Crown, the arrangement has accordingly been declared.’
Mr Johnson holidayed with his pregnant wife Carrie and their son Wilf. It has been described as a ‘babymoon’ before the birth of their second child later this year.
At the time, Downing Street argued it was important for everyone to ‘take a break’ as it defended the decision to go on holiday during the energy crisis.
A No10 spokesman said Mr Johnson remained ‘in charge’ of the country and was talking to world leaders including Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman while at the villa, which has tennis courts and three swimming pools.
Lord Goldsmith lost his Richmond Park seat in the 2019 election. He was given a peerage by Mr Johnson so he could remain a junior minister.