Conservative Party fined nearly £18,000 for donation towards Boris Johnson’s flat refurbishment

The Conservative Party has been fined nearly £18,000 for its donation towards Boris Johnson’s flat refurbishment.

The confirmation of the fine was announced today.

After news of the flat refurbishment broke back in April 2021 – where it was believed that the Prime Minister’s wife, Carrie Johnson, had chosen an £850-a-roll gold wallpaper – the Electoral Commission began an investigation.

Following the investigation into whether donations used for the works at 11 Downing Street – where Prime Minister Boris Johnson lives – were within the regulations and if they were correctly reported and declared by the Tories, the Electoral Commission confirmed said it has fined the party a total of £17,800, Sky News reports.

The investigation found decisions relating to the handling and recording of a donation by Huntswood Associates Limited “reflected serious failings in the party’s compliance systems”.

The party has been fined nearly the maximum allowed amount – which is £20,000.

It was found that the party failed to report the full value of a donation of £67,801.72 from Huntswood Associates Limited in October 2020.

£52,801.72 was said to be connected to the costs of the refurbishment.

The commission also found the reference in the party’s financial records to the payment of £52,801.72 that was made by the part for the refurbishment “was not accurate”, and it said the fine for failing to accurately report the full value of the donation is £16,250 and for contravening the requirement to keep proper accounting records the party has been fined £1,550.

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