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BRITAIN-POLITICS-PARLIAMENT-JOHNSON
UK’s Johnson faces watchdog probe over luxury holiday
LONDON, May 10, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Britain’s parliamentary standards watchdog confirmed
Monday it is investigating Prime Minister Boris Johnson over how he paid for a luxury
Caribbean holiday, the latest of multiple probes into his conduct.
Kathryn Stone, the current Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, is looking into
the controversial trip to the privately owned island of Mustique over Christmas 2019 by
the UK leader and his fiancee Carrie Symonds.
Johnson, who was buoyed by successful local election results in England last week, has
long been dogged by questions about the holiday.
In the register of MPs’ interests, he claimed the o15,000 ($21,200, 17,400 euros) trip
was provided by David Ross, a businessman and donor to his ruling Conservative party.
However there was confusion after Ross initially denied handing over any money, and
later clarified that it was a “benefit in kind”.
Johnson’s Downing Street office has previously insisted all relevant “transparency
requirements” were correctly followed.
The commissioner — an independent figure — investigates allegations that MPs have
breached parliamentary code of conduct rules, which include correctly declaring
financial interests and gifts.
Stone, who confirmed the Johnson probe is one of nine current investigations into
lawmakers for possible breaches, can refer serious offences to parliament’s Committee on
Standards for sanctioning.
The luxury trip is one of a host of controversies swirling around the British leader
that have sparked multiple investigations by watchdogs and scrutiny agencies.
They include a probe by the Electoral Commission, which regulates the accounts of
political parties, into who initially footed the bill for a reported o200,000 (230,000
euros) refurbishment of Johnson’s Downing Street flat.
BSS/AFP/MMA/1755HRS