THE SNP have demanded “full disclosure” in the growing row over whether Boris Johnson improperly benefited from Tory donations to refurbish his Downing Street flat.

International Trade Secretary Liz Truss today repeatedly refused to say who had paid for the reported £200,000 of work initially, but said the Prime Minister had ultimately  covered his share. 

She insisted the rules on donations and the ministerial code had been met. 

However the opposition said the affair stank and urged Mr Johnson to address the Commons tomorrow and disclose all donations, payments and repayments involved.

On Friday, the PM’s former top aide Dominic Cummings claimed Mr Johnson hatched a potentially illegal plan to have Tory donors secretly fund repairs and redecoration.

Mr Cummings, who is now effectively at war with his old boss after Number 10 accused him of leaking lobbying  rwo messages, said the plans were “unethical, foolish, possibly illegal and almost certainly broke the rules on proper disclosure of political donations”.

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Ms Truss dismissed the allegations as “tittle tattle”, telling Sky News: “I have been assured that the rules have been fully complied with and I know that he has met the costs of the flat refurbishment. I absolutely believe and trust that the Prime Minister has done that.

“What people want to know is that in line with the rules the Prime Minister has met the cost of this refurbishment. That has happened. All the costs will be declared in line with the rules.

“That, as far as I am concerned, completely answers that question.”

On BBC’s Andrew Marr show, she repeatedly refused to deny that a Tory donor paid for the flat refurbishment and Mr Johnson paid it back, a potential unreported donation.

According to a leaked email obtained by the Daily Mail, the Tory peer Lord Brownlow said he was making a £58,000 donation to the party “to cover the payments the party has already made on behalf of the soon to be formed ‘Downing Street Trust’”.

The Electoral Commission - which first raised the issue with the Conservative Party more than a month ago - has said it is still looking into whether any of the sums relating to the work on the flat should have been declared under the rules on political donations.

The Commission rules state: "It is an offence for a person to fail to comply with a disclosure notice within the deadline set out in it.”

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Writing on his blog on Friday, Mr Cummings also claimed the PM wanted to halt an inquiry into the leak of Covid lockdown plans last year because of domestic strife. 

He said Mr Johnson feared he would have “very serious problems” with his fiancee Carrie Symonds after her close friend, Henry Newman, was implicated in the probe.

Ms Truss confirmed that, almost six months on, the leak investigation by the Cabinet Secretary Simon Case was still ongoing.

She dismissed Mr Cummings's claim the episode showed Mr Johnson lacked “competence and integrity”.

She said: “This is tittle tattle that is being promoted and I don’t think it really addresses the key issues that people in Britain care about. The Prime Minister, who I work very closely with, has consistently through this crisis acted in the best interests of the country.

“These noises off are simply not helpful, they are not contributing to a positive future and they don’t reflect what is actually going on in Downing Street.”

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford MP said: “The longer Boris Johnson stays in hiding and dodges accountability, the more overpowering the stench of sleaze surrounding him and his government becomes.

“There is now growing suspicion that the Prime Minister broke the rules by failing to declare payments for the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat. The Electoral Commission's rules are clear, and it is critical that there is now full disclosure over his dealings.

“The comments from Dominic Cummings that Johnson’s plans to secretly use a Tory donor pay for the renovation were ‘unethical, foolish, possibly illegal and almost certainly broke the rules on proper disclosure of political donations’ raises very serious questions that cannot be brushed under the carpet.

“And his Trade Secretary’s refusal to deny that a Tory donor originally funded it tells you all you need to know about the smoke and mirrors manner in which this corrupt Tory government operates.

“Rather than hiding behind Tory ministers, Boris Johnson must now come before Parliament and answer these very serious questions for himself.

“Whether it is contracts for cronies, donations for decorating, or text messages for tax breaks, it is time for the Tories to put all their dealings into the public domain and let them be properly investigated.” 

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UK Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said there was a “real stench” over the Government and called on Mr Johnson to go to Parliament on Monday to explain what happened.

She also said the Electoral Commission should launch a full inquiry and she called on the PM to publish the latest register of ministers’ interests which is now eight months overdue.

She told BBC’s Andrew Marr show: “These are serious allegations. Why are they hiding the fact that ministers have to declare these donations and they’ve not done that? That’s serious. This is a real stench around what (the) Government is about.”