Boris Johnson today defended keeping powers to overrule his new sleaze adviser Lord Geidt despite complaints the PM being in control is comparable to a thief investigating a burglary .
The PM insisted the newly-appointed ministerial standards adviser will do an outstanding job after he was tasked with reviewing the murky funding of the No11 flat refurbishment.
Mr Johnson also stopped short of committing to publish the peer s findings, despite Labour and the chair of the independent Committee on Standards in Public Life warning that the premier should not be the ultimate arbiter of whether there has been wrongoing.
Asked if he would release the report and follow any recommendations, Mr Johnson said: Well, I m sure he ll do an outstanding job. I think what people are focused on overwhelmingly is not that kind of issue, but on what we re doing to take this country through the pandemic.
Boris Johnson has said he will have the final say on any investigation into ministerial misconduct after appointing an independent adviser to look at how his Downing Street flat refurbishment was paid for.
Boris Johnson called the row over his Downing Street refurbishment a “farrago of nonsense” despite a formal Electoral Commission investigation, as No 10 confirmed its own inquiry would not be published in full. Speaking to reporters on Thursday about allegations that he solicited donations to cover £58,000 worth of works to his flat, Johnson said there was not “anything to see here”. The prime minister said he would cooperate fully with the.
I love John Lewis , says Boris Johnson as he calls questions over flat refurbishment nonsense
Prime Minister insists there is nothing to see here or to worry about regarding refit of living quarters
29 April 2021 • 9:00pm
Boris Johnson on Thursday declared that he loves John Lewis and described questions about the funding of his Downing Street flat refurbishment a farrago of nonsense .
However, on Thursday night the prospect of a fourth inquiry into the luxury works commissioned on the flat loomed over him.
Labour sources disclosed that the party has asked Kathryn Stone, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, to investigate whether the Prime Minister should have declared any benefit – including a loan or credit arrangement – linked to the refit.