Boris Johnson faces fresh sleaze claims after it emerged the Tory peer who funded a lavish revamp of his grace-and-favour Downing Street flat was later given access to ministers to discuss a major new festival.
The Conservatives were fined £17,800 for breaching electoral law over the refurb of the PM's flat, after the party "failed to fully report" a £67k donation in October 2020 from Huntswood Associates Limited - a firm controlled by Lord Brownlow.
There is no suggestion that Lord Brownlow acted illegally.
Now, the Prime Minister stands accused of allowing the donor to "buy access" to Government, after texts between the two in November 2020 about a 'Great Exhibition festival' were followed by Lord Brownlow meeting with the former Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden about the project in January 2021.
The Whatsapp exchanges between Mr Johnson and the Tory donor, published as part of a probe into the flat refurb by the Government's ethics adviser Lord Geidt, see the PM complain that his flat was "a tip" and note that he was “on the great exhibition plan”.
Lord Brownlow thanked him for “thinking about GE2”.
The PM's deputy spokesman has denied claims the agreement to look at Lord Brownlow's idea of a second "Great Exhibition" was in any way related to the cash he donated towards the flat refurb.
He said the idea "wasn't taken forward", and instead the government would be holding a different event called "Festival UK" later this year.
But Mr Dowden's official diary includes a meeting "with Royal Albert Hall and Lord Brownlow To discuss plans for Great Exhibition 2.0'
Labour's Deputy Leader Angela Rayner said the PM had "questions to answer" over the meeting and the texts.
She said: "It appears that Lord Brownlow had access to the Prime Minister and Culture Secretary because he was paying for his luxury flat renovations.
“It is pretty unbelievable that Boris Johnson didn’t know who was paying for his luxury flat renovations.
"If so, that is corruption plain and simple. No one should be able to buy access or exchange wallpaper for festivals. Boris Johnson has serious questions to answer.”
It comes after the PM failed to inform his own ethics advisor about WhatsApps he sent to peer Lord Brownlow in November 2020 about the flat makeover, claiming he forgot about them as they were on his old phone.
The text exchange published today shows the PM asked Lord Brownlow for "approvals" for the £112,000-plus makeover.
He pressed the donor to provide money, saying he was "keen" to let the designer get on with it. Lord Brownlow replied promising to get on with the job, adding: "It’s only me and I know where the £ will come from".
The Prime Minister had been accused previously of lying to watchdog Lord Geidt by saying he didn’t know who funded the £112,000-plus makeover until three months later.
Lord Geidt criticised the PM for failing to disclose the cash for the flat refurb but said he did not think he was attempting to deliberately mislead.
The PM’s wife Carrie oversaw a redecoration in the four-bed living space above 11 Downing Street.
The makeover by designer Lulu Lytle is said to have included £840-a-roll wallpaper, a £9,800 Baby Bear sofa and a £3,000 Lily Drum table.
The lavish refurbishment cost between £112,000 and £141,000. Boris Johnson eventually paid £112,000 of the money himself following a media storm.
But the November 2020 text to Lord Brownlow shows the lengths the PM went to try to avoid footing the bill.
