LONDON (Reuters) – Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s office is in touch with his independent adviser on ministers’ interests after questions resurfaced over the funding of the refurbishment of the British leader’s home, Johnson’s spokesman said on Friday.
Johnson has faced intense scrutiny over how the financing of the refurbishment, estimated by some media to have run into hundreds of thousands of pounds on what the Sun newspaper has described as garish furniture and embossed wallpaper.
An official investigation published in May by Christopher Geidt found Johnson was unaware who had settled an invoice for some of the refurbishment cost, but a report by the electoral watchdog on Thursday said the prime minister had contacted the relevant donor about the funding.
“We are liaising with Lord Geidt to answer any further questions he may have,” Johnson’s spokesman said of the contact between Geidt and the prime minister’s office.
Some media had reported Geidt was on the verge of resigning. The spokesman declined to comment on whether the prime minister had asked Geidt not to resign. He also said he was not aware that Geidt had sought to formally reopen his investigation, something that would have to be approved by Johnson.
Asked whether the prime minister had withheld information from the investigation, Johnson’s spokesman said: “No”.
“At all times he has had access to any information he requires and that position continues,” he added.
(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan. Editing by Andrew MacAskill)
