BORIS Johnson is planning to create a secret charity fund to allow Tory donors to pay for the refurbishment of his living quarters in Downing Street, according to reports.
The charity’s official purpose will be to preserve No10 and No11 Downing Street for the heritage of the nation.
However, the Prime Minister apparently decided to set up the charity after his fiancee Carrie Symonds began spending huge sums of money redecorating.
Insiders told The Daily Mail that Johnson had complained that Symonds’s spending was “out of control”. He apparently said she had spent “over a hundred grand” on expensive touches such as wallpaper he compared to “gold wall coverings”.
Symonds has spent the money redecorating the flat in No11 Downing Street, generally preferred by prime ministers as it is larger than the one in No10.
The Daily Mail reported that the Prime Minister has asked David Brownlow, a multimillionaire Tory peer and former Conservative party vice-chair, to run the charity. It said an application to register with the Charity Commission is under consideration.
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Johnson is said to have commented there was “no way” he could pay for the renovations after being informed by the Cabinet Office that the maximum taxpayer contribution was “around £30,000”.
It is not the first time Johnson has reportedly been concerned about money, despite his salary of £150,000 a year as Prime Minister.
Last year, Johnson reportedly expressed concerns that his salary wasn’t enough to pay for all his needs, having taken a pay-cut from the £500,000 he earned as a newspaper columnist and author before entering No10.
In addition he had an expensive divorce from his ex-wife, Marina Wheeler, who he had been married to since 1993. The exact amount of money involved has not been publicly disclosed.
The Daily Mail reported that the funding gap was a matter of concern for the Prime Minister, who held several meetings to discuss asking Tory donors to provide the money.
However, after being advised that the plans to funnel cash through the Tory party may be unethical, Johnson was reportedly told that a charitable fund would be the best way to secure the finances needed.
This charity would be set up to refurbish and preserve the state and living rooms in Downing Street in the name of national heritage. This would then be painted as preserving the history of the UK, rather than simply funding the Prime Minister and his fiancee’s expensive taste, the Daily Mail said.
An ally of Johnson defended the charity idea, telling that paper: “Downing Street is as iconic as Windsor Castle but is in danger of becoming tatty because the Civil Service does everything on the cheap.
“A new charity with privately raised money to preserve it in great shape for all time is great value for the taxpayer and a great idea.”
Other sources, apparently close to Symonds, said she should be being thanked and not criticised.
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They told the Daily Mail: “The makeover is appropriate for a building of such huge importance.
“Carrie has exquisite taste. It is classic, stunning, stylish and chic. She should be congratulated not criticised.”
A No10 spokesperson said: “The Downing Street complex is a working building, as well as containing two ministerial residences.
“As has been the case under successive administrations, refurbishments and maintenance are made periodically.
“Matters concerning works on the Downing Street estate, including the residences, are covered in the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts.”
The spokesman declined to answer further questions from the Daily Mail. The Charity Commission said it was not aware of any application to set up a Downing Street charity. Conservative Party HQ, the Cabinet Office, and Lord Brownlow declined to comment.
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