"No 10 refuses to deny PM wants to set up charity to help meet costs of Downing Street flat refurbishment
The spokesman refused to deny a Daily Mail story saying that Boris Johnson wants to set up a charity to pay for refurbishments to the Downing Street flat where he lives. In his Mail splash, Simon Walters says Johnson is doing this because Carrie Symonds, his fiancee, oversaw a refurbishment that cost more than £100,000 - well beyond the amount allowed at taxpayers’ expense (around £30,000, according to the Mail). The spokesman said details of the refurbishment would be published in the Cabinet Office’s annual report. Asked why the flat needed to be refurbished at all, given that it had a make-over when the Camerons were living there, the spokesman just said it was refurbished periodically. In his story Walters says Johnson is planning a charity because he is unable to meet the full cost himself. Walters says:"
Boris Johnson is secretly trying to set up a charity to help pay for a costly makeover of his official flat by his fiancée, it has been claimed.
The scheme is based on one used by the White House to raise millions of dollars for interior design, antiques and art.
The presidential charity is bankrolled by private donors – and the proposed Downing Street version is expected to be funded largely by wealthy Tory benefactors ...
Mr Johnson first expressed concern at the rising cost early last year. He is said to have commented there was ‘no way’ he could pay for it after being informed by the Cabinet Office that the maximum taxpayer contribution was ‘around £30,000’."
https://www.theguardian.com/politics...0875da1a29dd5f
That's at least 7 or 8 points on BrilloPad's "Legal" Tax "Avoidance" scale
The spokesman refused to deny a Daily Mail story saying that Boris Johnson wants to set up a charity to pay for refurbishments to the Downing Street flat where he lives. In his Mail splash, Simon Walters says Johnson is doing this because Carrie Symonds, his fiancee, oversaw a refurbishment that cost more than £100,000 - well beyond the amount allowed at taxpayers’ expense (around £30,000, according to the Mail). The spokesman said details of the refurbishment would be published in the Cabinet Office’s annual report. Asked why the flat needed to be refurbished at all, given that it had a make-over when the Camerons were living there, the spokesman just said it was refurbished periodically. In his story Walters says Johnson is planning a charity because he is unable to meet the full cost himself. Walters says:"
Boris Johnson is secretly trying to set up a charity to help pay for a costly makeover of his official flat by his fiancée, it has been claimed.
The scheme is based on one used by the White House to raise millions of dollars for interior design, antiques and art.
The presidential charity is bankrolled by private donors – and the proposed Downing Street version is expected to be funded largely by wealthy Tory benefactors ...
Mr Johnson first expressed concern at the rising cost early last year. He is said to have commented there was ‘no way’ he could pay for it after being informed by the Cabinet Office that the maximum taxpayer contribution was ‘around £30,000’."
https://www.theguardian.com/politics...0875da1a29dd5f
That's at least 7 or 8 points on BrilloPad's "Legal" Tax "Avoidance" scale
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