Labour calls for probe into PM’s £15k trip to Caribbean

Labour has formally written to the parliamentary commissioner for standards calling for an investigation into who paid for the prime minister’s £15,000 trip to the Caribbean.

Shadow Cabinet office minister Jon Trickett has written to Kathryn Stone requesting she look into details of Boris Johnson’s luxury holiday, which took place over the new year.

The senior opposition MP said he remained dissatisfied with the explanations provided by Downing Street.

Confusion reigned following Mr Johnson’s declaration in the register of MPs’ interests that he had accepted “accommodation for a private holiday for my partner and me, value £15,000”, citing businessman David Ross as the provider.

A spokesman for Mr Ross denied on Wednesday that the co-founder of the Carphone Warehouse had stumped up any money.

But the Conservative Party donor’s spokesman has since clarified his stance, agreeing it was a “benefit in kind” to the PM and his girlfriend Carrie Symonds during their private break to the island of Mustique.

Labour, however, has stepped up its calls for an inquiry into how the PM came to enjoy the provision of a five-figure villa.

In his letter to the commissioner, Mr Trickett said: “The code of conduct requires members to provide the name of the person or organisation that actually funded a donation.

“The evidence now suggests it was not David Ross. The entry made by the prime minister therefore appears to be incorrect.”

Mr Trickett said the public should know whether the PM “knowingly made a false entry into the register”.

He added: “Transparency is crucial to ensuring the public have confidence that elected members of this House have not been unduly influenced by any donations or gifts that they may receive.

“For this reason, I request for you to investigate whether the prime minister has followed all transparency requirements when registering the donation.”

A Downing Street source said much of what was being alleged by Mr Trickett had been made “out of date” by the updated statement by Mr Ross’s spokesman.

“What is being said in the letter has been covered off by additional statements made by David Ross’s spokesman,” the source told the PA news agency.

Number 10 insisted the details of the getaway were properly declared, with it stated in the register that the trip was a “benefit in kind”.

“All transparency requirements have been followed, as set out in the register of members’ financial interests,” a Downing Street spokeswoman said.