Johnson face probe over home makeover

Prime Minister Boris Johnson thanks the NHS in a video message on Easter Sunday, in 10 Downing Stree

Britain’s Electoral Commission yesterday announced a formal probe into how Prime Minister Boris Johnson paid for a lavish makeover of his Downing Street flat, seriously escalating a simmering scandal. The commission, which regulates party and election finance, has the powers to demand the repayment of questionable donations, levy fines, or ultimately refer investigations to the police for criminal prosecution. “We are now satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to suspect that an offence or offences may have occurred. We will therefore continue this work as a formal investigation to establish whether this is the case,” the watchdog said. The probe significantly darkens the cloud hanging over the Conservative prime minister ahead of UK-wide local elections on May 6, the first polls to be held since the Covid-19 pandemic and since Brexit took full effect this year. An hour after the commission’s announcement, Johnson again denied any wrongdoing during a bad-tempered exchange in parliament. “I’ve conformed in full with the code of conduct and ministerial code,” he said, as he came under sustained opposition pressure to state who paid for the revamp, amid wider accusations of cronyism during the pandemic. Addressing main opposition Labour party leader Keir Starmer, Johnson said: “He goes on and on about wallpaper when I’ve told him umpteen times now, I paid for it.” Johnson’s press aides have insisted he has paid for any refurbishment beyond an annual government allowance, and that Conservative Party funds are not being used. But they have failed to explain if party funds were used initially, amid reports that a rich Conservative backer stumped up a donation of £58,000 which was not reported to the Electoral Commission as required by law.