Forex Trading For Beginners 2021: Boris Johnson's flat: Top official to review funding of revamp

The UK's top civil servant says Boris Johnson has asked him to review how refurbishment of his Downing Street flat was paid for.

Cabinet Secretary Simon Case told MPs he did "not have all of the facts" on works at the PM's official residence.

Mr Johnson's ex-adviser Dominic Cummings has claimed the PM once planned to have donors "secretly pay" for the revamp.

The PM has said any relevant donations will be declared "in due course".

Labour has called on the Electoral Commission, which regulates political donations in the UK, to launch a formal investigation.

The watchdog has said it is talking to the Conservative Party about whether the spending on the flat falls within its remit.

Appearing before a Commons committee on Monday, Mr Case said a review into the refurbishment would look at "how this has been done".

Asked repeatedly whether he was aware if private donations covered any of the costs, he said he had "not been involved directly in this".

"I do not have all of the facts and details at my disposal," he said, adding that his review would probably take "a matter of weeks".

The claims about the flat are contained in a blog posted by Mr Cummings on Friday, his first since leaving his role in No 10.

In the blog, Mr Cummings also denied he was behind the leaking of details of November's second coronavirus lockdown in England.

Lockdown 'bodies' denial

Mr Case told MPs that an internal inquiry into that leak was ongoing, but it was "probable" officials working on it would fail to identify any sources.

Downing Street says the prime minister has "never interfered in a government leak inquiry".

On Monday, No 10 also denied that Mr Johnson suggested that "bodies could pile high" during heated discussions on lockdowns.

The Daily Mail reported that Mr Johnson had said "let the bodies pile high in their thousands" rather than order a third lockdown.

The PM denied making the remarks, adding that lockdowns had worked.

Like several of his recent predecessors, the PM is living in the flat above No 11 Downing Street, which is larger than the one above No 10.

Speaking earlier, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the prime minister had "paid the money, from his own money" for the revamp.

He said this came "on top of" public money from the annual £30,000 taxpayer grant available to all prime ministers for the upkeep of their accommodation.

In a written statement on Friday, the government said no money from this grant was spent in the 2019/20 financial year. Figures for this year are expected to be published in the summer.

"At all times the prime minister has complied with the rules. He's paid for it out of his own money, " he said.

'Serious questions'

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer urged a "full and transparent investigation" into the allegations about the Downing Street flat, arguing they risked undermining trust in government.

"It's all very well the prime minister saying now 'I paid for it', the critical question was: what was the original arrangement - and why is it so complicated?"

"If there's a straightforward answer, well give it. And if there isn't, then there are very serious questions to be asked," he added.

A No 10 spokesperson said: "At all times, the government and ministers have acted in accordance with the appropriate codes of conduct and electoral law."

Donations and loans to political parties of more than £7,500 must be reported to the Electoral Commission.

The Conservative Party has previously said that all "reportable donations" are "correctly declared to the Electoral Commission, published by them and comply fully with the law".

The party said "gifts and benefits received in a ministerial capacity" are declared in government transparency returns.