Saturday, May 15, 2021
Is Johnson a teflon Prime Minister?
I am starting to lose count of the potential scandals that are currently circling the Prime Minister and his party. There has been the controversy over Tory donors winning massive contracts for PPE, issues around preferential lobbying, inquiries into who paid to refurbish the Downing Street flat, a County Court Judgement being issued against Boris Johnson for an outstanding debt, and now questions as to whether a holiday in Mustique costing between £15.000 and £30,000 was properly declared as a gift in kind.
Despite all of this Johnson appears to be as popular as ever and according to the last poll, the Tories are 15 points ahead in public support.
The Independent reports that the Parliament’s standards watchdog is said to believe Boris Johnson’s holiday to Mustique was worth more than double the £15,000 he declared in the Commons register. Kathryn Stone, the commissioner for standards, has also said the bill had not been met by Tory donor David Ross as the prime minister has insisted:
The revelation will heap further pressure on Mr Johnson as he faces various investigations into whether he properly declared any donations to cover the lavish refurbishments of his official flat.
Downing Street insisted the PM “transparently declared the benefit in kind” of the luxury Caribbean holiday, and noted that Mr Ross confirmed the declaration is “correct”.
The parliamentary commissioner for standards confirmed this week she is still investigating whether Mr Johnson properly declared the holiday on the private island 16 months ago
In the Register of Members’ Interests, the prime minister declared the trip with fiancee Carrie Symonds as a “benefit in kind” from the Carphone Warehouse founder who has a villa on the island. But the Daily Mail reported that Ms Stone believes the break was worth more than twice the declared £15,000.
Mr Johnson was said to have refused to accept the ruling and is trying to have it overturned to avoid the risk of being suspended as an MP.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “The PM transparently declared the benefit in kind in the Commons Register of Interests. The Cabinet Office was aware of the declaration and was content it was appropriate.
“A spokesman for Mr Ross confirmed the PM’s declaration is correct and the accommodation was facilitated as a donation in kind.”
What is it exactly about Boris Johnson that sets him apart from other politicians and appears to make him untouchable when it comes to accusations that would be career-ending for anybody else? Will these latest accusations be the ones that finally do for his stint as Prime Minister? We can only wait and see.
The Independent reports that the Parliament’s standards watchdog is said to believe Boris Johnson’s holiday to Mustique was worth more than double the £15,000 he declared in the Commons register. Kathryn Stone, the commissioner for standards, has also said the bill had not been met by Tory donor David Ross as the prime minister has insisted:
The revelation will heap further pressure on Mr Johnson as he faces various investigations into whether he properly declared any donations to cover the lavish refurbishments of his official flat.
Downing Street insisted the PM “transparently declared the benefit in kind” of the luxury Caribbean holiday, and noted that Mr Ross confirmed the declaration is “correct”.
The parliamentary commissioner for standards confirmed this week she is still investigating whether Mr Johnson properly declared the holiday on the private island 16 months ago
In the Register of Members’ Interests, the prime minister declared the trip with fiancee Carrie Symonds as a “benefit in kind” from the Carphone Warehouse founder who has a villa on the island. But the Daily Mail reported that Ms Stone believes the break was worth more than twice the declared £15,000.
Mr Johnson was said to have refused to accept the ruling and is trying to have it overturned to avoid the risk of being suspended as an MP.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “The PM transparently declared the benefit in kind in the Commons Register of Interests. The Cabinet Office was aware of the declaration and was content it was appropriate.
“A spokesman for Mr Ross confirmed the PM’s declaration is correct and the accommodation was facilitated as a donation in kind.”
What is it exactly about Boris Johnson that sets him apart from other politicians and appears to make him untouchable when it comes to accusations that would be career-ending for anybody else? Will these latest accusations be the ones that finally do for his stint as Prime Minister? We can only wait and see.
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Even Teflon wears out in the end and is thrown on the scrap heap.
Even the great God Covid will go and Johnson,s saviour ,the vaccine, he will then be unable to hide
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Even the great God Covid will go and Johnson,s saviour ,the vaccine, he will then be unable to hide
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