DOWNING Street has refused ot deny claims that the Prime Minister approached Tory donors to help pay for his childcare.
A spokesman was asked about the claims this afternoon, after ot was reported that Boris Johnson said he would need to earn £300,000 a year to maintain his lifestyle.
Mr Johnson's official spokesman would only say that he “covered the cost” of childcare for Wilfred, his son with fiancee Carrie Symonds.
However he would not say whether the PM had approached Tory donors about helping with the costs, or whether any money had been donated by donors.
On Monday, Johnson refused to deny the claims while on a visit in Hartlepool, insisting that “all this kind of stuff is, in my view, exclusively for the interest of the Westminster bubble”.
It comes following allegations that Mr Johnson was considering setting up a trust to pay for refurbishment of his Downing St flat, with Labour describing it as a "return to Tory sleaze".
Last week, the Electoral Commission announced an investigation into who paid for the refurbishment of the flat, amid claims that Tory donors were asked to help with the bill which reportedly ran over above £90,000.
There are also several other probes in government and parliament into lobbying and donations.
Asked today to deny that Tory donors were approached to pay for Johnson’s childcare, the PM’s spokesman said: “The prime minister has covered all the costs of all childcare and I’ve got nothing more to add to that.”
Asked if Johnson was paying out of his own pocket or if he has been given money from donors to cover the cost of childcare, the spokesperson said: “I’ve got nothing more to add. The prime minister has covered all costs.”
Pressed on whether the PM approached donors to pay for childcare, but that the proposal did not end up going ahead, the spokesperson replied: “What I’m saying is the prime minister has covered all costs of childcare, I’m not adding anymore to that.”
Labour's Angela Rayner, the party's deputy leader, said the latest claims were resembling a "cover-up".
She said: "We are seeing what looks like another cover up from the Prime Minister, who is trying to hide his attempts to fund his lifestyle through secret payments from wealthy Tory donors.
“Boris Johnson forcing his MPs to vote against free school meals and making stealth cuts to schools at the same time as asking Tory donors to pay for his own childcare is yet more evidence that it’s one rule for him and his mates another for everyone else. What did these donors expect in return for their generosity, and what were they promised?
"With an investigation already underway into potentially illegal activity, the Prime Minister and Conservative Party should stop taking the British people for fools and immediately publish all correspondence relating to all attempts to get Tory donors to fund the Prime Minister's lifestyle.”
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