Taxpayers are set to cough up an enormous £245,000 to fund Boris Johnson's legal defence in Parliament's Partygate probe, it has emerged.
The cost to the public purse has risen for the second time in a year as the shamed ex-PM fights for his political future.
Now Rishi Sunak faces fresh calls to step in and make multi-millionaire Mr Johnson foot the legal bill himself.
He is anxiously awaiting the findings of the Privileges Committee over whether he deliberately misled the Commons over Downing Street parties during the Covid crisis.
If the cross-party committee finds against him, he could face a suspension or even be forced to fight a by-election. He denies the allegation.
News of the rise in legal costs, reported by the BBC, have sparked anger.
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner fumed: “This murky arrangement that left taxpayers’ picking up the bill for Boris Johnson’s partygate defence fund is not only without precedent but without justification.
"With working families facing a cost-of-living crisis, it beggars' belief that they should have been left writing a blank cheque for these legal retainers as the ex-Prime Minister further enriches himself.
"Rishi Sunak must explain why he failed to put a stop to this brazen scheme and take immediate steps to ensure his disgraced predecessor returns this money to the public purse.”
Solicitors firm Peters and Peters were awarded a contract last August worth £129,700 to provide Mr Johnson with advice during the investigation.
By January this had risen to £220,000, prompting Labour leader Keir Starmer to tell Mr Sunak during PMQs: : "Surely even this Prime Minister can put his foot down and stand up to his old boss and say he made this mess, he can pick up the bill?"
The Prime Minister snapped back accusing the Labour leader of "carping from the sidelines" and "failing to lead".
Mr Johnson's legal team is headed by top barrister Lord Pannick, who sat behind him during a bad-tempered grilling in March.
The MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip desperately tried to convince MPs that a leaving party in November 2020 was "necessary" and that he believed he acted within the rules.
In January Cabinet Office permanent secretary Alex Chisholm said such arrangements are normal.
He told the Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee: "It is normal, there's an established precedent across multiple administrations that former ministers can be supported with legal representation after they've left office when the matters relate to their time and conduct as a minister."
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But not everyone agrees.
Alex Thomas, director of the Institute for Government think tank, told the BBC: "Payment of legal fees to the former prime minister in these circumstances would seem to set a precedent and is certainly contentious, so looks on the face of it to meet the test to require Treasury approval.
"I'm surprised that the payments were made at all - but also that they were signed off in this way."
It is understood that the spending was not signed off by the Treasury.
A Government spokesman said: “There is an established precedent across multiple administrations that former Ministers may be supported with legal representation after they have left office when matters relate to their time and conduct as a Minister.
“As the Privileges Committee’s Inquiry remains ongoing, the contract for the provision of legal support to the now former Prime Minister has been extended in accordance with the proper procurement processes.”
The Mirror has approached Boris Johnson's office for comment.
