Boris Johnson rakes in £1million in six months - and it's not to do with being an MP

PM-in-waiting Boris Johnson has raked in almost £1million in pay and donations in the first six months of this year alone.

The wealthy Tory has made £309,177 for speeches, £137,500 for a once-a-week newspaper column and £8,600 in book royalties on top of his MP’s salary of £40,000 for six months, according to the latest Register of MPs’ Interests

Mr Johnson, likely to be named Prime Minister on July 22 after a vote of Tory members, said this week that his political career was a “sacrifice” because he could make more money outside.

Bringing his total close to £1million is the £482,500 in donations to his leadership campaign, dwarfing the £185,945 raised by his rival Jeremy Hunt .

Candidates are officially allowed to spend only £150,000 each on their campaigns plus another £150,000 to help the Conservative Party pay for their hustings. Any cash left over goes to party funds.

Boris Johnson is likely to become the next Prime Minister later this month (PA)

Tory MP David Morris, a supporter of Mr Hunt, said: “ Boris Johnson says he can make more money being a part-time politician. His declaration certainly bears testament to that.”

Johnson campaign donations include £25,000 from First Corporate Shipping. Its director, Terence Mordaunt, is also a director of the Global Warming Policy Forum, set up when its parent group fell foul of Charity Commission impartiality rules. That group was said to be the UK’s main climate science denial campaign.

Banker Peter Cruddas, who gave £50,000 to the Johnson cause, resigned as Tory co-treasurer in 2012. It followed allegations he offered access to then PM David Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne in exchange for cash donations.

It was revealed yesterday that at least 1,000 Tory members have received two ballot papers. They were warned they would be expelled if they voted twice.

On Friday Boris was bombarded with awkward questions about his parenting skills at the .

In a humiliating night for the favourite to be Prime Minister, he was confronted by grassroots party activists over whether he was a good husband and father.

Jeremy Hunt has received £185,945 in donations for his campaign to become PM (PA)

One female audience member asked if asked him if to be good prime minister you have to be a good husband and father.

Johnson said: “I just don’t comment on that sort of stuff.”

He said voters were more interested in hearing about how he would deliver  Brexit and other policy areas.

But the woman said: “If you choose not to comment on it then you are going to have to let us come to our own conclusion and it may not be a favourable one.”

Johnson replied: “I will have to live with that.”