Why sleaze investigations are becoming more menacing for Boris Johnson
The investigation that Mr Johnson has more to worry about is that by the Electoral Commission. That body has independent, statutory powers to interview witnesses under caution and gather evidence. If it concludes there was wrongdoing, it will impose a fine. If it decides that there are reasonable grounds to suspect that a criminal offence has been committed, the commission can refer the case to the police. This is the probe causing the strongest ripples of fearful panic through Number 10 and Tory party HQ.
It is also menacing for Mr Johnson that there is a good prospect of a fourth investigation, this one by the commissioner for parliamentary standards, who has rebuked him in the past for rule-breaking. The prime minister claims to have “covered the costs” of the refurbishment, but he has repeatedly failed to deny that a large bill was originally paid for by someone else, either through a loan or a donation, neither of which was declared. He dismisses all the questions about his behaviour as a “whole farrago of nonsense”. This is what poker players would call a tell. Those familiar with his pathology will know that he often dials up the bluster when he has something to hide. The worse the misconduct he is trying to conceal, the rantier he tends to get. He was very ranty indeed at the most recent prime minister’s questions.
This seems to be a bit of a long story. Part of it appears very clear. What seems clear is that Honest Boris seemed to have no intention of paying for this work. He was whinging about his other half choosing gold wallpaper that he was unable to afford. He approached a Tory donor, the JCB fella, to pay for it. It was discovered that if a donor paid for the work it would breach the rules. Another donor was approached, with a view to setting up a blind trust. The second donor contributed £58,000. This was prior to discovering that the setting up of a blind trust would still breach the rules. In the meantime, at least some of the work was completed. The Cabinet Office paid the bill. This is in breach of the rules. The Tory Party refunded the Cabinet office. The Tory Party arent allowed to pay the bill as there are restrictions on what they are allowed to spend money on. Gold wallpaper for the PM is not one of them.
It would seem that Boris has now paid the bill, but only after exploring just about every option of circumventing the rules. He refuses to answer the question of who initially paid for the work. He will only say that he ended up paying for it. Only a fool arranges for up to £200,000 worth of home improvements, without arranging for the necessary funds to be available on completion. Only an idiot would allow their other half to make these arrangements without having any knowledge of them. Did his other half not have any knowledge of his financial position?
Honesty, integrity, and Boris Johnson cannot be used in the same sentence.
This story will run, and run.
Conservative Party staff have been told they have one week to hand over all communication related to renovations of Boris Johnson’s flat in 11 Downing Street or face criminal consequences, according to reports.
Conservative Party HQ has warned staff that deleting texts or emails relating to the refurbishment of Boris Johnson's Downing Street flat could land them in court, it was claimed today. The Sun reported that staff at Conservative Campaign Headquarters were sent an email yesterday stating: 'You are put on notice that this is a criminal investigation.'
Why should I have to pay for Boris's baby's a*** to be wiped?' Claims Tory donors were asked to pay for Boris's son's nanny and PM's trainer
Concerns about the state of Boris Johnson's personal finances grew last night amid claims that Tory donors had been asked if they would help the Prime Minister to cover the cost of his childcare.
Did calling Carrie Symonds a husband-stealer kibosh rising star Victoria Atkins's career?
ANNA MIKHAILOVA: Rising star Minister Victoria Atkins's (left) promising political career is feared to have hit the rocks after her stinging criticism of the Prime Minister's fiancée (right) was overheard in the Commons tea room. The high-flying Home Office minister is said to have observed that Carrie Symonds could not be trusted because she 'stole another woman's husband', multiple sources told The Mail on Sunday. It is understood that her barbed comment was made to a group of primarily female Tory MPs but were uttered so loudly that they were heard by others in the room.
This seems to be a bit of a long story. Part of it appears very clear. What seems clear is that Honest Boris seemed to have no intention of paying for this work. He was whinging about his other half choosing gold wallpaper that he was unable to afford. He approached a Tory donor, the JCB fella, to pay for it. It was discovered that if a donor paid for the work it would breach the rules. Another donor was approached, with a view to setting up a blind trust. The second donor contributed £58,000. This was prior to discovering that the setting up of a blind trust would still breach the rules. In the meantime, at least some of the work was completed. The Cabinet Office paid the bill. This is in breach of the rules. The Tory Party refunded the Cabinet office. The Tory Party arent allowed to pay the bill as there are restrictions on what they are allowed to spend money on. Gold wallpaper for the PM is not one of them.
It would seem that Boris has now paid the bill, but only after exploring just about every option of circumventing the rules. He refuses to answer the question of who initially paid for the work. He will only say that he ended up paying for it. Only a fool arranges for up to £200,000 worth of home improvements, without arranging for the necessary funds to be available on completion. Only an idiot would allow their other half to make these arrangements without having any knowledge of them. Did his other half not have any knowledge of his financial position?
Honesty, integrity, and Boris Johnson cannot be used in the same sentence.
This story will run, and run.
Conservative Party staff have been told they have one week to hand over all communication related to renovations of Boris Johnson’s flat in 11 Downing Street or face criminal consequences, according to reports.
Conservative Party HQ has warned staff that deleting texts or emails relating to the refurbishment of Boris Johnson's Downing Street flat could land them in court, it was claimed today. The Sun reported that staff at Conservative Campaign Headquarters were sent an email yesterday stating: 'You are put on notice that this is a criminal investigation.'
Top civil servant leading review into Boris Johnson's £200,000 flat refurbishment 'only found out about the controversial plans in the news after he was left in the dark by the PM'
Simon Case, who was appointed cabinet secretary in September, only discovered about the controversial plans in the newspaper in late February.
Downing Street stays silent on claims that Tory donors were asked to fund a NANNY for Boris Johnson's son Wilfred -- as Labour accuses PM of trying to 'fund his lifestyle through secret payments'
At the weekend a donor who said they had been approached said: 'I don't mind paying for leaflets but I resent being asked to pay to literally wipe the Prime Minister's baby's bottom.'
Did a shock £350,000 tax bill trigger Boris Johnson’s pleas for Downing St cash?
But now senior Conservatives believe they have the answer. Tory grandees are convinced the PM’s pleas of poverty were triggered by a giant income tax demand that landed on his doorstep months after he moved into 10 Downing Street and which swallowed up his entire official salary for two years.
NINE SPEECHES THAT NETTED £450,000 November 8 2018, £94,507.85 plus expenses for speech to GoldenTree Asset Management, Park Avenue, New York.
December 4 2018, £28,900 plus travel and accommodation for speech to KNect365.
January 10 2019, £51,250 from Pendulum Events & Training, Dublin.
March 2 2019: £122,899.74 plus transport and accommodation for a speech to India Today, New Delhi.
March 12 2019: £38,250 plus VAT for speaking to Citigroup, Canary Wharf.
April 10 2019: £25,297.62 plus transport expenses giving speech for Banque Pictet & Cie SA, Geneva.
May 14 2019: £21,250 plus VAT for speech to Pomerantz LLP, New York.
May 16 2019: £25,540 plus VAT for speech to British Insurance Brokers Organisation.
May 24 2019: £42,580 from Swiss Economic Forum AG, for speech. Transport provided for Mr Johnson and member of his staff.
Total: £450,475.21
NEWSPAPER COLUMNS & ARTICLES £22,916.66 each month for writing weekly Telegraph column from July 2018 when he quit as foreign secretary until July 2019 when he became PM
September 2018 £800, Spectator article
October 2018 £2,000 from Associated Newspapers Ltd
November 2018 £1,000 from News UK for an article
December 2018 £350, Spectator
February 2019 £376.05 from The Washington Post
March 2019 £739.98 royalties for reprinting old articles
July 15, 2019 final payment of £15,524.52 from the Telegraph
The Daily Mail is claiming an exclusive new twist in the ongoing controversy over Downing Street decor.
It suggests that after being given a "pasting" over the cost of his £840-a-roll wallpaper, the prime minister has now faced the embarrassment of having to call in specialist decorators to re-hang parts of it...because it was peeling off.
According to the Mail, the heavyweight hand-crafted paper used is much more difficult to hang than mass produced versions sold in high street stores.
Now Boris's £840-a-roll wallpaper is peeling off! What a Carrie on... experts are called BACK in to fix PM's costly Downing Street decor
EXCLUSIVE: After being given a pasting for getting Tory donors to pay for gold wallpaper in his Downing Street flat, Boris Johnson faced fresh embarrassment last night - it keeps falling down. The Prime Minister has had to call in specialist decorators to rehang parts of the £840 per roll 'hand-crafted' wallpaper, No 10 sources say. The latest twist in the 'Wallpapergate' affair came as a photograph emerged of upmarket interior designer Lulu Lytle visiting Downing Street. The Daily Mail can also reveal some of the fabrics Miss Lytle's Soane Britain company used in the refit of Mr Johnson and fiancée Carrie Symonds's 11 Downing Street apartment. The sofa is upholstered with ruby and emerald material called Damascus Stripe. Miss Lytle says it is 'based on a 19th century Syrian original pattern woven from cotton and silk'. Pictured: Interior designer Lulu Lytle outside Downing Street; Carrie Symonds, top right; Boris Johnson, bottom centre; and sofa fabrics, bottom right.
Comments
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/anna-mikhailova-it-could-be-curtains-for-baroness-jay/ar-BB1ggs0M?ocid=msedgntp
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/no-10-disrespect-for-john-lewis-caused-outrage-what-does-that-tell-us-about-the-british/ar-BB1gh3WL?ocid=msedgntp
The investigation that Mr Johnson has more to worry about is that by the Electoral Commission. That body has independent, statutory powers to interview witnesses under caution and gather evidence. If it concludes there was wrongdoing, it will impose a fine. If it decides that there are reasonable grounds to suspect that a criminal offence has been committed, the commission can refer the case to the police. This is the probe causing the strongest ripples of fearful panic through Number 10 and Tory party HQ.
It is also menacing for Mr Johnson that there is a good prospect of a fourth investigation, this one by the commissioner for parliamentary standards, who has rebuked him in the past for rule-breaking. The prime minister claims to have “covered the costs” of the refurbishment, but he has repeatedly failed to deny that a large bill was originally paid for by someone else, either through a loan or a donation, neither of which was declared. He dismisses all the questions about his behaviour as a “whole farrago of nonsense”. This is what poker players would call a tell. Those familiar with his pathology will know that he often dials up the bluster when he has something to hide. The worse the misconduct he is trying to conceal, the rantier he tends to get. He was very ranty indeed at the most recent prime minister’s questions.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/why-sleaze-investigations-are-becoming-more-menacing-for-boris-johnson/ar-BB1gh9xK?ocid=msedgntp
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/boris-johnson-news-live-tory-poll-lead-sinks-as-donors-approached-to-cover-the-cost-of-nanny/ar-BB1gh4id?ocid=msedgntp
Concerns about the state of Boris Johnson's personal finances grew last night amid claims that Tory donors had been asked if they would help the Prime Minister to cover the cost of his childcare.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9533481/Tory-donor-pay-Boriss-babys-wiped.html
ANNA MIKHAILOVA: Rising star Minister Victoria Atkins's (left) promising political career is feared to have hit the rocks after her stinging criticism of the Prime Minister's fiancée (right) was overheard in the Commons tea room. The high-flying Home Office minister is said to have observed that Carrie Symonds could not be trusted because she 'stole another woman's husband', multiple sources told The Mail on Sunday. It is understood that her barbed comment was made to a group of primarily female Tory MPs but were uttered so loudly that they were heard by others in the room.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-9533749/ANNA-MIKHAILOVA-Did-calling-Carrie-Symonds-husband-stealer-kibosh-Victoria-Atkinss-career.html
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/tory-donor-asked-to-fund-nanny-for-boris-johnson-s-baby-as-pm-needs-300k-to-get-by/ar-BB1gh2wF?ocid=msedgntp
Simon Case, who was appointed cabinet secretary in September, only discovered about the controversial plans in the newspaper in late February.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9543707/Civil-servant-leading-review-Boris-Johnsons-flat-refurbishment-plans-news.html
Downing Street stays silent on claims that Tory donors were asked to fund a NANNY for Boris Johnson's son Wilfred -- as Labour accuses PM of trying to 'fund his lifestyle through secret payments'
At the weekend a donor who said they had been approached said: 'I don't mind paying for leaflets but I resent being asked to pay to literally wipe the Prime Minister's baby's bottom.'
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9542009/Downing-Street-silent-claim-Tory-donors-asked-fund-nanny-Boris-Johnsons-son-Wilfred.html
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/boris-shows-he-s-as-adept-at-pedalling-a-bike-as-he-is-at-peddling-lies/ar-BB1goqT4?ocid=msedgntp
But now senior Conservatives believe they have the answer. Tory grandees are convinced the PM’s pleas of poverty were triggered by a giant income tax demand that landed on his doorstep months after he moved into 10 Downing Street and which swallowed up his entire official salary for two years.
NINE SPEECHES THAT NETTED £450,000
November 8 2018, £94,507.85 plus expenses for speech to GoldenTree Asset Management, Park Avenue, New York.
December 4 2018, £28,900 plus travel and accommodation for speech to KNect365.
January 10 2019, £51,250 from Pendulum Events & Training, Dublin.
March 2 2019: £122,899.74 plus transport and accommodation for a speech to India Today, New Delhi.
March 12 2019: £38,250 plus VAT for speaking to Citigroup, Canary Wharf.
April 10 2019: £25,297.62 plus transport expenses giving speech for Banque Pictet & Cie SA, Geneva.
May 14 2019: £21,250 plus VAT for speech to Pomerantz LLP, New York.
May 16 2019: £25,540 plus VAT for speech to British Insurance Brokers Organisation.
May 24 2019: £42,580 from Swiss Economic Forum AG, for speech. Transport provided for Mr Johnson and member of his staff.
Total: £450,475.21
NEWSPAPER COLUMNS & ARTICLES
£22,916.66 each month for writing weekly Telegraph column from July 2018 when he quit as foreign secretary until July 2019 when he became PM
September 2018 £800, Spectator article
October 2018 £2,000 from Associated Newspapers Ltd
November 2018 £1,000 from News UK for an article
December 2018 £350, Spectator
February 2019 £376.05 from The Washington Post
March 2019 £739.98 royalties for reprinting old articles
July 15, 2019 final payment of £15,524.52 from the Telegraph
Total: £295,790.47
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newslondon/did-a-shock-350-000-tax-bill-trigger-boris-johnson-s-pleas-for-downing-st-cash/ar-BB1gqFvW?ocid=msedgntp
https://uk.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-county-court-judgement-against-181752884.html
It suggests that after being given a "pasting" over the cost of his £840-a-roll wallpaper, the prime minister has now faced the embarrassment of having to call in specialist decorators to re-hang parts of it...because it was peeling off.
According to the Mail, the heavyweight hand-crafted paper used is much more difficult to hang than mass produced versions sold in high street stores.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-57165901
EXCLUSIVE: After being given a pasting for getting Tory donors to pay for gold wallpaper in his Downing Street flat, Boris Johnson faced fresh embarrassment last night - it keeps falling down. The Prime Minister has had to call in specialist decorators to rehang parts of the £840 per roll 'hand-crafted' wallpaper, No 10 sources say. The latest twist in the 'Wallpapergate' affair came as a photograph emerged of upmarket interior designer Lulu Lytle visiting Downing Street. The Daily Mail can also reveal some of the fabrics Miss Lytle's Soane Britain company used in the refit of Mr Johnson and fiancée Carrie Symonds's 11 Downing Street apartment. The sofa is upholstered with ruby and emerald material called Damascus Stripe. Miss Lytle says it is 'based on a 19th century Syrian original pattern woven from cotton and silk'. Pictured: Interior designer Lulu Lytle outside Downing Street; Carrie Symonds, top right; Boris Johnson, bottom centre; and sofa fabrics, bottom right.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9593271/Experts-called-fix-Boris-Johnsons-costly-Downing-Street-decor.html