There is increasing pressure on the Prime Minister to refurbish his Flat, which will be the subject of the latest investigation by the Commons watchdog.
The Standards Committee has been urged to investigate how the refurbishment of Boris Johnson’s flat was funded after it was revealed Tory donor Lord Brownlow paid an invoice to cover some of the costs.
This meant he effectively gave Mr Johnson a loan, before the PM eventually settled the bill himself – only after the Daily Mail published a string of exposes.
It comes as Boris Johnson is expected to face calls for a public inquiry into allegations of Tory sleaze as MPs consider how to clean up Westminster following the Owen Paterson row.
Sir Keir Starmer, Labour leader, said that the Prime Minister must apologize to the nation as well as ‘clean up the filthy Augean barn he’s created.
The Commons will listen for three hours to an emergency discussion on the matter, despite ministers trying to make the argument that the row is a’storm within a teacup’.
Boris Johnson faces increased scrutiny regarding the renovation of his Downing Street apartment. This is the subject of an investigation being conducted by the Commons antisleaze watchdog.
Senior minister Kathryn Stone, Parliamentary Commissar for Standards, suggested that Kathryn Stone might have to quit after MPs decided to ignore the findings about Owen Paterson.
Liberal Democrats who won the debate have demanded a statutory public investigation into allegations of corruption and sleaze.
The refurbishments to the Prime Minister’s flat sparked sustained scrutiny of his finances earlier this year, with the works vastly exceeding the £30,000 annual limit afforded to the Prime Minister.
Lulu Lytle was the interior designer who allegedly inspired the renovation. The project is thought to have been six-figures in cost.
Critics have now urged Kathryn Stone to investigate.
Stone appeared to be on shaky ground in her role last week after MPs, lead by Boris Johnson, voted to overrule her finding that former minister Owen Paterson had carried out ‘egregious’ lobbying for private companies which paid him more than £500,000.
Stone was suggested by a senior minister to be forced to resign, but Boris Johnson made a quick U-turn within hours and canceled plans to reform current standards investigations.
Johnson commissioned interior designer Lulu Lytle (pictured) whose gold wallpaper can cost as much as £840 a roll. The original invoice was paid by Lord Brownlow, Tory donor. He then settled the bill. It is now being scrutinised how the overhaul was funded.
Boris Johnson (pictured with Carrie at the G7 summit in Cornwall, June) is now facing another sleaze probe in connection to his Downing Street apartment renovation.
Since then the Prime Minister has been forced to admit that the botched efforts to improve standards were a strike against Kathryn Stone.
Labour asked Ms Stone, the standards commissioner to investigate whether Prime Minister failed to disclose a temporary loan which paid for the refurbishment of his Flat.
After a second investigation has been concluded by the Electoral Commission, the Commissioner will decide whether an inquiry is launched into funding the refurbishment.
The Commission’s initial findings have been handed to Tory party leaders, which now have the chance to respond.
George Eustice, Commons sleaze chief, urged not to investigate the luxurious renovation of the Downing Street apartment last night.
The Environment Secretary stated that the matter was already being investigated by Lord Geidt who is the Prime Minister’s standard-setting adviser. He found Johnson had done ‘unwisely’ and had not broken the ministerial code. According to Johnson, the matter was firmly under control.
Miss Stone is expected to make a decision once the separate investigation by the Electoral Commission is complete.
Inquiry by Miss Stone is the third inquiry into this matter, if she decides to proceed. Angela Rayner (Labour’s deputy leader) requested that Miss Stone inquire.
Dominic Cummings was Mr Johnson’s ex-chief aide. He claimed last week in a Twitter that Mr Paterson’s attempt to avoid being punished by the Government’s attempts to alter the standards process was actually a pre-emptive strike. [the]PM [the]EC (Electoral Commission). [Miss]Stone
However, No 10 claimed that the overhaul was intended to safeguard Mr Johnson’s interests.
Johnson is known to have clashed repeatedly with the Parliament’s sleaze watchdogs. In July, he was criticised for failing to explain promptly how a £15,000 holiday in Mustique was paid for.
Miss Stone found him to be in breach of the code on conduct for the 2020 New Year break, but he was able to escape with a simple slap because the committee on Standards overruled her.
According to the committee, it is regrettable that no explanation has been provided before.
After the Mail exposed questions about who had paid for the PM’s 10-day stay in the luxurious Caribbean island, the probe was launched last February. He had claimed the £15,000 cost of his accommodation was a gift from Carphone Warehouse founder David Ross.
The multimillionaire businessman claimed he didn’t own the villa or paid for its use.
Miss Stone investigated and found that Johnson violated the code of MPs by failing to comply with conscientiously all requirements in order to register his stay.
The report was received by the commission. Chris Bryant, Labour MP for Chris Bryant, wrote to Ross and Mr Johnson asking for more details.
First, Mr Johnson (left), ordered Tory MPs push through plans to dismantle Parliament’s antisleaze rules in order to save Mr Paterson. He then abandoned the plan after a huge public backlash.
The Mustique Company made a payment to the Villa owners Mr Johnson stayed at, and Ross paid them back.
Thus, the committee found that Ross was Mr Johnson’s funder. This means the PM’s initial declaration was true.
However, it stated that the matter could have been resolved many months earlier if greater efforts were made to remove uncertainty.
As MPs look at how to tidy up Westminster after the Owen Paterson scandal, Boris Johnson will likely be called upon to answer questions about allegations of Tory sleaze.
The Commons will listen for three hours to an emergency discussion on the matter, despite ministers trying to make the argument that the row is a’storm within a teacup’.
Liberal Democrats who won the debate have demanded a statutory public investigation into allegations of corruption and sleaze.
Photo: YouGov’s research following the shocking Commons vote to suspend standards showed that the Conservative poll led plummeting by five points
Inquiry would allow for witnesses to be summoned and evidence taken under oath. The investigation would look into the Paterson row as well as the awarding and cancellation of coronavirus contracts. Also, it would investigate whether Johnson’s vacations in villas provided him by his friends were correctly declared and how the funds were used to refurbish his Downing Street apartment.
Following Tory efforts to stop an immediate suspension of Mr Paterson for 30 days due to a ‘egregious breach’ of lobbying rules, Speaker Lindsay Hoyle granted a debate last week.
Instead, Conservative MPs were instructed to support the formation of a Tory-led Committee to reexamine Mr Paterson’s case as well as the entire standards system.
However, after backlash from the government, Mr Paterson quit his position as MP. He called it the ‘cruel and corrupt world of politics’.
At the weekend, reports suggested that the Speaker might make some proposals to reform the Standards Process in an attempt to remove the bitter politics from the row.
Sir Keir declared that Mr Paterson, a former cabinet minister, will not be elected for peerage ahead of the emergency debate.
Downing Street sources indicated that there was no plan to give Mr. Paterson a seat at the Upper Chamber.
The Labour debate will be led by Sir Keir, while Jacob Rees Mogg (Commons Leader) will assume the role of representative for the Government.
Sir Keir stated that Boris Johnson should attend the debate to answer his questions, apologize to the country, and take steps to correct the harm he caused.
The country will not hear anything but contrition from him for his attempt to create one rule that would apply to himself, his friends, and everyone else. He should now apologize and come before the House.
Liberal Democrats demanded a change in the Commons rules that would prevent MPs from being investigated by Parliamentary Commissioners for Standards and voting on or proposing amends to motions relating to disciplinary matters.
Wendy Chamberlain, chief whip of the Lib Dems, said that it is ‘the equivalent to defendants in a case taking part in jury proceedings’.
She continued, “Time and time again government ministers refused to properly investigate allegations of sleaze.
“We require an independent public inquiry with all the resources and powers to investigate this Conservative sleaze crime.”
Tory MPs are still angry about Paterson’s handling. They have also been in touch with furious constituents.