Boris Johnson in ‘humble apology’ to sleaze adviser Lord Geidt

Adviser considered quitting after learning the PM withheld critical messages about payment for refurbishment of his Downing St flat.

Boris Johnson gives a Covid update in the House of Commons. Picture: AFP.

Boris Johnson has issued a “humble and sincere” apology to Lord Geidt, his sleaze adviser, for withholding critical messages from an inquiry into the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat.

Geidt said in a letter to Johnson, released yesterday, it was “plainly unsatisfactory” that he had not been shown WhatsApp messages the prime minister exchanged with Lord Brownlow of Shurlock Row, the Tory donor.

The messages, in which Johnson asked Brownlow to arrange for further money to do up the flat, which he said was “still a bit of a tip”, cast doubt on his original claims to Geidt that he was unaware who was paying for the work.

They also revealed that Johnson agreed to consider a plan being pushed by Brownlow to help to stage a second “great exhibition”, resulting in a meeting within weeks with Oliver Dowden, who was culture secretary at the time.

The messages emerged only after they were passed to the Electoral Commission by Brownlow and were not provided to Geidt by Johnson during the investigation.

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson hosts a virtual press conference. Picture: AFP.

Geidt said that if he had been aware of the messages when he wrote his original report he “doubted” whether he would have cleared Johnson “without qualification” of breaking sleaze rules.

“Had I been aware of the missing exchange, I would have had further questions and drawn attention to it in my report,” he wrote. “More crucially, I doubt whether I would have concluded, without qualification, that at the point when the prime minister became aware [of who was paying for the refurbishment], he took steps to make the relevant declaration and to seek advice.”

Geidt, Johnson’s adviser on ministerial interests, was brought in to investigate the refurbishment after it emerged that it was funded by Brownlow. He initially cleared Johnson of wrongdoing, saying that the prime minister had been unaware of Brownlow’s financial involvement in paying for the work by Lulu Lytle, the up-market designer.

A report by the Electoral Commission last month revealed that Johnson had texted Brownlow asking him to authorise work on the flat. In the messages, Johnson told Brownlow: “I am afraid parts of our flat are still a bit of a tip and am keen to allow Lulu Lytle to get on with it. Can I possibly ask her to get in touch with you for approvals?”

Brownlow replied: “Of course, get Lulu to call me and we’ll get it sorted.”

In another message he added: “Approval is a doddle as it’s only me and I know where the pounds will come from.”

Johnson claimed that he had failed to disclose the messages to Geidt because he changed his phone number in April, after it emerged that it was publicly available. He offered Geidt a “humble and sincere apology” but stressed that “security issues faced at the time meant that I did not have access to my previous device and did not recall the message exchange”.

Geidt said that this situation was “plainly unsatisfactory” and exposed that “potential and real failures of process occurred in more than one part of the apparatus of government”.

As a postscript to Johnson’s agreement to consider a second great exhibition, Brownlow and representatives of the Royal Albert Hall, of which he is a trustee, met Dowden “to discuss plans” for a recreation of the festival organised by Prince Albert in 1851.

A No 10 spokeswoman said: “In line with normal practice this idea was referred to the relevant department, considered and ultimately not taken forward by the government.”

Angela Rayner, the Labour deputy leader, said the exchange amounted to “corruption plain and simple”. She added: “No one should be able to buy access or exchange wallpaper for festivals. The prime minister’s pathetic excuses will fool no one. This is just the latest in a long line of sorry episodes.”

When the existence of the messages emerged last month, Geidt was reported to be considering quitting. He said yesterday that he intended to stay on.

His letter is likely to increase the chances of a separate investigation by Kathryn Stone, the parliamentary commissioner for standards, into whether Johnson broke Commons rules.

Labour has written to ask Stone to open a formal investigation.

The Times