Boris Johnson contemplates charity fund to bankroll Carrie Symonds' Downing Street refurb
Prime minister Boris Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds, stand in Downing Street, London - Credit: PA
Boris Johnson is reportedly planning to set up a charity to bankroll Carrie Symonds' make-over of their Downing Street flat.
The fund would allow private donors to hand over cash for the upkeep of No 11 and other staterooms.
Critics argue this sets up back-door access to the prime minister.
According to reports in the Daily Mail, Johnson has complained the cost of the refurbishment by Symonds was "totally out of control", running into the "tens and tens of thousands".
On one occasion he said it was "over a hundred grand". He also expressed alarm at the cost of wallpaper chosen by Symonds, dubbing it "gold wall coverings".
You may also want to watch:
Johnson has reportedly approach Tory peer Lord Brownlow to run the charity and is to submit an application with the Charity Commission.
This comes as No 10 defends hiring three "vanity photographers" to stage Instagram-style photoshoots of Johnson and Symonds's dog.
The prime minister’s official spokesman said the photographers – two civil servants and a special adviser on salaries ranging between £60,000 and £105,000 – take pictures of not just Johnson but other ministers.
No 10 was also left defending Symond's role in government after a report by a ring-wing think tank alleged Johnson's fiancée was helping run the country.
Most Read
- 1 Empty shelves are partly down to Brexit - but Leavers won't admit it
- 2 The Spanish village with the mythical blue lagoon
- 3 Why Bristol is the street art city
- 4 A very nearly enchanted evening
- 5 Boris Johnson enjoys splendid isolation
- 6 Boris Johnson: The sado-populist prime minister
- 7 The Tories have already lost the culture wars
- 8 Has something shifted in sado-populist Britain?
- 9 Priti Patel - the poster girl for our poisonous politics
- 10 The riproaring life of the real Cyrano de Bergerac
The prime minister’s press secretary Allegra Stratton gave the claims short shrift, saying there would be no response to the think tank’s call.
She stressed that Symonds was on maternity leave, looking after her son with Johnson.
Become a Supporter
The New European is proud of its journalism and we hope you are proud of it too. We believe our voice is important - both in representing the pro-EU perspective and also to help rebalance the right wing extremes of much of the UK national press. If you value what we are doing, you can help us by making a contribution to the cost of our journalism.
