Boris Johnson is under mounting pressure as Labour has called for an investigation into a possible “cover-up” over the funding of the prime minister’s refurbishment of his Downing Street flat.
Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner said a probe was needed to determine whether Mr Johnson’s former press secretary Allegra Stratton “knowingly misled” journalists over the funding of the refurbishment .
Meanwhile, No10 failed to deny on Tuesday that the PM told aides he would rather let coronavirus “rip” than impose a second lockdown.
Mr Johnson reportedly argued during a government debate in September that lockdowns were “mad” due to the severe impact on the economy, The Times reported.
The prime minister’s official spokesperson this afternoon said that the reports “distort” Mr Johnson’s actions, and that he was focused “on saving lives and livelihoods” during the pandemic.
However, when asked if he denied the comment had been made by Mr Johnson, the spokesperson did not say.
It comes amid a growing furore after a number of sources were reported to have told how Mr Johnson said he was prepared to let “bodies pile high” rather than order a third shutdown.
