The Electoral Commission is launching a formal investigation into how Prime Minister Boris Johnson paid for renovations made on his private quarters in Downing Street. A leaked email from top Tory donor, Lord Brownlow details a donation of £58,000 ($80.5k) that was used “to cover the payments the Party has already made on behalf of the yet to be formed ‘Downing Street Trust’” in June 2020. While the Conservative party continue to insist Johnson paid for the work, they are refusing to publicly deny that the work was originally paid for by a donor.

The tax office, opposition party and senior Tory politicians are also looking for clarification on how the money was used. Earlier this week the Cabinet Office Minister, Lord True said: "Any costs of wider refurbishment in this year have been met by the Prime Minister personally." International Trade Secretary Liz Truss has also told the BBC that Mr Johnson had covered the cost of the renovations 'from his own pocket'. Dominic Cummings, the former aide to the PM, published a blog post alleging that Johnson had planned to have donors 'secretly pay' for work on the flat. 

Cummings posted: "Re the flat... The PM stopped speaking to me about this matter in 2020 as I told him I thought his plans to have donors secretly pay for the renovation were unethical, foolish, possibly illegal and almost certainly broke the rules on proper disclosure of political donations if conducted in the way he intended. I refused to help him organise these payments."

According to the Daily Mail, Boris Johnson had panicked over how he was going to pay for the makeover by the interior designer Lulu Lytle which was ‘totally out of control’ and likely to run up to a ‘six-figure sum’. Tatler said that Carrie and Boris had wanted to transform the flat from 'John Lewis furniture nightmare' into a 'high society haven'.

The prime minister is entitled to spend up to £30,000 ($42k) of tax payers' money per year on maintenance and improvements to the residences, which have to be undertaken by long-standing government contractors and declared every year in public documents. While figures are not yet available for the last 12 months, Lord True confirmed that renovation work on the Grade I-listed building has taken place on painting, sanding and floorboards work. 

Over the past two decades, 11 Downing Street has undergone a whole host of renovations. The flat was said to be stuck in the 1960s until Tony Blair and his family began living there in 1997. It was reported that the family spent £127,000 ($176k) on refurbishments between 1999 and 2005, including £3,500 ($4.9k) on a bed.

In July 2019, Boris moved into 11 Downing Street with Carrie Symonds. Breaking tradition and becoming the first unmarried couple to reside in the iconic address, they now share the space with their son Wilfred, who was born on 29 April 2020, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Updates included the installation of a £3,400 ($4.7k) Britannia range cooker and a Dualit toaster. Theresa May, who was the next prime minister to stay in the home, is thought to have been satisfied with the décor and didn't make many changes. 

Read on to see more of Boris Johnson's private and official residences, including his Oxford farmhouse that's up for rent and his former London townhouse...

As the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson currently resides at 11 Downing Street but the politician has spent time living at a whole host of amazing houses. From his country bolthole to a chic London pad and his official residence, click or scroll through as we go through the keyhole of Boris Johnson's property portfolio... 

Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson was born on 19 June 1964 in New York City. Moving around as a young boy, Johnson lived in London and also Brussels before attending Eton College, and later Balliol College at Oxford University. In 1987, aged 23 he started as a reporter for The Times and forged a career in the industry, eventually becoming editor of The Spectator in 1999. 

In 1994, Boris' father, Stanley Johnson bought this four-bedroom Georgian townhouse, following time in Brussels and Oxford. Stanley lived in the home for 10 years with his second wife, Jenny, and their two youngest children, Julia and Max. Although not lived in by Boris, the home was the base of his successful bid to become London Mayor in 2008. As a child in the 1970s, Johnson lived in Primrose Hill, London and attended a local primary school with political rivals, Ed and David Milliband. 

In 2003, in the midst of his role as the editor of The Spectator, Boris snapped up this four-bedroom country house in the quiet hamlet of North Weston, Oxfordshire. The PM paid £640,000 ($895k) for the Grade II-listed pad, which sits at the end of a single track lane surrounded by open fields. 

Known as The Old Farm House, the fairytale cottage comes equipped with 2,659 square feet of inside space spread over two floors. There's a large sitting room, a dining area and a spacious galley kitchen with a tiled stone floor, crisp cream units and wooden counters. There's even a small breakfast zone at one end, where the new tenant could create a cool coffee station or at-home bar.

The house is currently being offered as a long-term let for £4,250 ($5,944) a month, so it seems Johnson is in no hurry to return to the pad and he is likely to find a tenant very soon. Alice Prothero of Strutt & Parker commented on the listing: "Its availability is rare because demand for country houses to rent has never been so high, leading to a widespread shortage of good quality stock."

The master suite is one of the home's most enticing areas, thanks to its decorative wood accents and adjoining bathroom. Imagine waking up in this bright and beautiful space each and every morning! According to Mansion Global, the cottage has an estimated value of £1.2 million ($1.7m), which doesn't surprise us one bit!

The beautiful backyard not only boasts unobstructed views of the surrounding countryside, but also comes kitted out with a swimming pool and a large lawn where sunbathing and family barbecues can be enjoyed. There's even a tennis court, where Johnson no doubt played plenty of games over the years. What's more, it offers quick and easy access to the M40 motorway, as well as the national railway line that can reach the central London station in Marylebone in approximately 35 minutes, making it perfect for commuters.

Boris was based at the property when he launched his leadership bid to become head of the conservative party in 2018. Here he is seen bringing tea to photographers who had been camped outside the house all day in what he called "a humanitarian mission", according to the Evening Standard.

Of course, Johnson has also owned residences in the heart of London, where he lived before moving into the official PM residence on Downing Street. This house, in the traditionally Labour-held seat of Islington, London, is Grade II-listed and was bought with his second wife, Marina Wheeler in 2009 and they lived there until their split in 2018. 

Compared to the PM's official residences, his former north London townhouse is relatively modest. Having said that, it does tower up five impressive floors and comes equipped with plenty of stunning living spaces. 

The historic home dates back to 1841 and spreads over an impressive 3,300 square feet of living space. There's a light-filled lounge, a dining room and a contemporary kitchen. Key architectural features include original Georgian windows, ornate fireplaces and parquet floors.

The master bathroom is almost the size of an average studio apartment in London. It comes equipped with a tub, a walk-in shower and a huge window that lets in plenty of natural light. Many of the rooms also overlook the neighbouring Regent’s Canal, adding to the home's many charms.

Of course, it also offers an enviable exterior balcony where Johnson no doubt enjoyed many an evening cocktail. The chic townhouse landed on the market in June 2019 for a cool £3.75 million ($5.2m) and sold in November of the same year for £400,000 ($559k) below the asking price. Many have suggested that one of London's iconic commemorative blue plaques will one day adorn the front of the building, joining the other 950 found across the capital. 

British Prime Ministers have lived at No. 10 since 1975 and the black front door is known to people across the world as the site for alfresco press conferences and budget announcements. 

When Boris won the election in July 2019, the couple moved into the flat at 11 Downing Street. However, Boris spends the majority of his days in 10 Downing Street, which is still classed as his official residence. 

Immediately beyond the front door you'll find the grand reception hall, which leads through to the main staircase. The 18th-century black and white chequerboard floor was added during Lord North's residency, who was prime minister from 1770 to 1782. 

The grand hallway and staircase features portraits of former prime ministers. They line the walls in chronological order and when the latest leader leaves number 10, the pictures are moved down one by one to make room for a new portrait. The walls have been painted in a cheery yellow and on the first floor the floor lined in a regal red carpet. 

The Cabinet Room, which is located upstairs, is hidden behind soundproof doors. Home to regular cabinet meetings which are chaired by the prime minister, a copy of a portrait of Sir Robert Walpole by Jean-Baptiste van Loo hangs over the fireplace. During the pandemic, the prime minister has had to find a new way of working and has hosted cabinet meetings remotely over video call.

10 Downing Street is also where Boris spends his time working on important affairs in his private office. The large wooden desk sits alongside high ceilings and neutral cream walls and of course, a Union Jack flag. In this snap, Boris is on the phone with the newly elected US President, Joe Biden. 

As Prime Minister of the UK, Boris Johnson is also able to use the official country residence, Chequers for country escapes and to host VIP visitors. The house was handed over to the UK's premier by the parliamentary provision in 1917 by Viscount Lee of Fareham, and has been in use since David Lloyd George took the keys in 1921.

Also known as Chequers Court, the historic manor house dates back to the 16th century and can be found in the village of Ellesborough, Buckinghamshire. Johnson also reportedly stayed here while recovering from coronavirus and we can certainly see why he chose to. The house sits on 1,500 acres of land and boasts landscaped gardens and endless country panorama. 

The royal residence is also where historic prime ministers have hosted important international visitors. In fact, Donald Trump, Angela Merkel and Hillary Clinton have all spent time there over the years.

Chequers is, without doubt, one of the world's finest country homes. This stunning space was also where most of the UK's Brexit negotiations took place. With a decorative ceiling, elegant panelled walls and spectacular classic artwork, the room would be enough to keep even the most jaded politician alert. 

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