PM pushed to reveal source of funds for Downing Street decor upgrades
BORIS JOHNSON is facing calls to reveal whether donors gave money to cover Downing Street refurbishments as No10 yesterday declined to rule out the possibility.
Allegra Stratton, Mr Johnson’s press secretary, denied Conservative Party funds had been used for any of the decor changes, which have made headlines in recent weeks. However she did not rule out the possibility money had been sought from people who have given to the Conservative Party in the past.
Mr Johnson also declined to give clarity on the topic when asked at a press conference, saying: “All such inquiries will be answered with the normal declarations in the normal way.”
The Daily Mail reported on Saturday that Conservative Party funds met a large part of the refurbishment, which it reported could cost as much as £200,000. Sir Alistair Graham, former chairman of the committee on standards in public life, said it was right the public knows who funds the upgrades.
Sir Alistair told The Daily Telegraph: “Just tell us the truth and the story will go away if the Prime Minister’s got a sensible explanation. But as long as he leaves the thing hanging up in the air then people are going to think the worst.”
In recent years prime minsters have tended to live in the flat above No 11 – the Chancellor’s office – rather than No10 because it is larger.
During a briefing with parliamentary reporters yesterday, Ms Stratton was repeatedly grilled about how the cost of the redesign was being financed.
“Conservative Party funds are not being used to pay for any refurbishment of the Downing Street estate,” she said.
Asked if the party had encouraged donors to pay for the refurbishment, Ms Stratton said: “At every twist and turn of this there will be records and reports.”
The Prime Minister’s press aides have stressed that the details will be contained in the Cabinet Office annual report due in July.
‘Just tell us the truth and the story will go away if the Prime Minister’s got a sensible explanation’