Boris acted ‘unwisely’ but cleared over Downing Street flat

Boris Johnson’s week has ended better than it began. After Dominic Cummings spent Wednesday launching a broadside against the Prime Minister over his handling of the Covid response, at least one of Johnson’s problems appears to be receding. This afternoon the government has published Lord Geidt’s report into the funding of the redecoration of the No. 11 flat Johnson shares with his fiancée Carrie Symonds. That refurbishment has been the subject of many column inches – with questions asked about whether donors initially funded the pricey project by the eco-designer Lulu Lytle.

Geidt – who is the Prime Minister’s adviser on standards – has concluded that Johnson did not break the ministerial code over the funding of the Downing Street flat refurbishment.

However, the report does not completely clear the Prime Minister. It finds that he ‘unwisely’ allowed work to go ahead on the flat without ‘more rigorous regard’ about how it would be paid for. As for reports that the Tory donor and former Conservative party vice-chairman Lord Brownlow initially funded the project, Lord Geidt finds that he had paid an early invoice. However, he concludes that this isn’t such an issue as the Prime Minister was allegedly unaware of this – finding out in the papers. The reports the finger at officials for failing to inform Johnson that a Tory donor was funded his flat. However, one could argue it’s on the Prime Minister to know who footed the bill. 

Simon Case, the Cabinet Secretary, acknowledges the ‘shortcomings’ of officials in failing to tell Boris Johnson that his flat had been paid for by a Tory donor As Geidt acknowledges, however, these officials were ‘managing their own very difficult decision questions’

So, is the case now closed? The report is good news for Boris Johnson as it ultimately acknowledges the facts of the matter while failing to blame him directly. Responding to the report, a No. 10 spokesperson said it shows ‘the Prime Minister acted in accordance with the ministerial code at all times’. It’s worth noting, however, that this is just one of a series of inquiries into the flat. While Geidt is an independent figure, this report was not seen as the one No. 10 had the most to worry about. The electoral commission are currently investigating and the parliamentary commissioner for standards could still launch an investigation. However, the hope among aides is that this report reduces the chance of others finding against Boris Johnson.