Boris Johnson being investigated over Caribbean holiday and flat renovation

 

Boris Johnson being investigated over Caribbean holiday and flat renovation

 

Parliamentary commissioner for standards reveals two probes - with powers that can lead to suspensions of MPs for serious breaches

 

Rob Merrick

Deputy Political Editor

@Rob_Merrick

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-flat-investigation-caribbean-b1844812.html?fbclid=IwAR3A-IhkKLvbWNIKcqpeH-JksgtRjeEjOWFmFoHeS7O9JG96DHrx4QO0eJw

 

Boris Johnson is being investigated for two possible breaches of Commons rules – over both his flat makeover and a Christmas holiday in the Caribbean.

 

The parliamentary commissioner for standards has powers that can trigger suspensions of MPs – or even byelections – if serious breaches have occurred.

 

The list of MPs under investigation had been kept under wraps during the campaign for the May elections, but has now been revealed by Kathryn Stone, the independent commissioner.

 

She is acting on a complaint submitted by the Labour MP Margaret Hodge, which says parliament’s watchdog must probe who originally paid for the lavish renovations.

 

Mr Johnson has repeatedly failed to deny that the Conservative Party, or multiple Tory donors, paid out for works that could have cost up to £200,000.

 

Ms Stone’s probe leaves the prime minister fighting on multiple fronts – after the Electoral Commission also launched an investigation, saying “an offence or offences may have occurred”.

 

However, her list reveals she is also still looking into the mystery of who funded his luxury Caribbean holiday on the island of Mustique, back at Christmas 2019.

 

At the time, Mr Johnson claimed the £15,000 cost of the villa he stayed in was paid for by David Ross, a Tory party donor and former deputy chairman of Carphone Warehouse. who owns a property on the island.

 

But Mr Ross then denied he had paid for the holiday and said he did not own the villa where Johnson and his fiancée, Carrie Symonds, stayed.

 

It is the first time a serving prime minister has been investigated by the commissioner, who is responsible for regulating MPs’ conduct and adherence to Parliamentary rules.

 

Ms Stone is also investigating seven other Conservative MPs – former Cabinet ministers Owen Paterson  and Theresa Villiers, plus Adam Holloway, Bob Stewart, Natalie Elphicke, Roger Gale and Jonathan Gullis.