The Electoral Commission has announced a formal investigation into whether the Conservative Party broke electoral law through its plan to fund the refurbishment of Boris Johnson’s Downing Street flat, with commissioners saying they were “satisfied that there are reasonable grounds” to suspect an offence may have been committed. A bureaucratic organisation little-known outside Westminster circles has suddenly become front-page news. The Electoral Commission is the independent body that is responsible for overseeing elections, registering political parties and generally scrutinising the money involved in politics. All political parties and campaigners must report donations and campaign spending to the Commission. Commissioners also write reports about elections, publish data around topics such as turnout, and run referendums.
Boris Johnson has sparked fury by rejecting a sleaze watchdog’s call for his new independent ethics adviser to be given the power to launch investigations into ministerial wrongdoing. And the prime minister indicated that ministers who breach their code of conduct will no longer automatically face the sack - a practice he condemned as “disproportionate”. New terms of reference for the post of independent adviser, published as the Queen’s former.
Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds may have to hand over personal emails and phone messages to an official inquiry.
In a bombshell move, the Electoral Commission yesterday opened a formal investigation into the funding of the lavish refurbishment of the couple s official flat. We are now satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to suspect that an offence or offences may have occurred, announced the watchdog.
It has sweeping powers to demand documents and interview witnesses under caution. Failure to comply or tell the truth is a criminal offence.
Boris Johnson (pictured) and Carrie Symonds may have to hand over personal emails and phone messages to an official inquiry
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image captionLord Geidt is to examine the Downing Street flat controversy
Boris Johnson has appointed the former private secretary to the Queen, Lord Geidt, as his new independent adviser on ministers interests.
The post has been vacant since Sir Alex Allan resigned in November, after the PM overruled him over a report into alleged bullying by Priti Patel.
Lord Geidt s first job will be to look into the controversy over renovations at the PM s Downing Street flat.
But the PM does not have to abide by any of his findings, No 10 said.
The Electoral Commission has launched a probe into how an upgrade to the apartment the PM shares with his fiancee Carrie Symonds was paid for.
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The government’s new ministerial ethics adviser, Lord Geidt, is paid by the global arms company BAE Systems, openDemocracy can reveal.
As former private secretary to the Queen, the government said Christopher Geidt had a “distinguished record of impartial public service” and would clear up the sleaze scandal engulfing Westminster.
But Geidt is also a member of the International Advisory Board for BAE Systems, which has long faced allegations of corruption and bribery.
The newly appointed independent adviser on ministerial interests also holds paid positions at telecoms company Theia Group Inc, and multi-billion-pound asset management giant Schroders PLC, which has wide-ranging financial interests across a huge range of sectors, according to the Register of Members Interests.