Edwina Currie’s defence of Boris Johnson’s expenses wasn’t the gotcha she might have hoped
Emily Thornberry, Labour MP for Islington South and Finsbury, took to Twitter/X to share something she had notced about Boris Johnson‘s 2022 to 2023 expenses claim – as a former PM, obviously, since he ditched his parliamentary seat when it emerged that he was likely to be suspended.
Her eight-tweet thread suggested that, once again, rules have been changed to accommodate Johnson’s failure to work within them.
Here’s a curious tale involving Boris Johnson, the annual allowance for former Prime Ministers, and the man Kemi Badenoch chose to stand in for her at PMQs last month. Oh, and £67,803 of taxpayers’ money handed to Johnson that he wasn’t entitled to claim. (1/8)
— Emily Thornberry (@EmilyThornberry) December 13, 2024
First we go back to 31 March 2023, when a new version of the guidance was published covering the £115k per year ‘Public Duty Costs Allowance’ for ex-PMs. From what I could tell, the only change to the previous guidance related to the section below on claim processes. (2/8) pic.twitter.com/k4wZO2ahgp
— Emily Thornberry (@EmilyThornberry) December 13, 2024
That got me interested. Why had they changed the guidance to make the rules less explicit about when claims needed to be submitted, and whether late claims would be accepted? So I asked the Cabinet Office whether any late claims had come in that year just gone? (3/8) pic.twitter.com/pC5pmsR2zt
— Emily Thornberry (@EmilyThornberry) December 13, 2024
That seemed pretty definitive from Alex Burghart, and when the 2022-23 Annual Report he had mentioned in his answer was published five months later, it was equally definitive that no claims had been received – late or otherwise – from Boris Johnson. (4/8) pic.twitter.com/49BHXqeET1
— Emily Thornberry (@EmilyThornberry) December 13, 2024
So far, so clear. But then we get to the Cabinet Office annual report for 2023-24, published yesterday, which tells us that Boris Johnson DID submit a late claim for £67,803 of office expenses incurred during the 2022-23 financial year, and was reimbursed in full. (5/8) pic.twitter.com/Bykel6liry
— Emily Thornberry (@EmilyThornberry) December 13, 2024
Now, you might think it’s no accident that the Cabinet Office happened to weaken the rules preventing late payments in the very year when Boris Johnson realised he was going to be £68k out of pocket for failing to get his expense claims in on time. (6/8)
— Emily Thornberry (@EmilyThornberry) December 13, 2024
But that surely can’t be right. Otherwise that would have to mean Alex Burghart wasn’t being entirely factual in the PQ answer he gave me in April 2023, and that the Cabinet Office were also mistaken when they published their annual report in September 2023. (7/8)
— Emily Thornberry (@EmilyThornberry) December 13, 2024
There’s a simple way to allay that scepticism though. The Cabinet Office just needs to tell us when they received the claims for the expenses Boris Johnson incurred in 2022/23, and when they decided to let him have the money. Watch this space for the answers. (8/8)
— Emily Thornberry (@EmilyThornberry) December 13, 2024
Clearly, the Cabinet Office haven’t responded, but the allegations hardly came as a shock.
I’m shocked to see the suggestion that rules were changed to enable Boris Johnson to avoid the rules. https://t.co/1514l7uiIB
— Mike Cameron (@mikercameron) December 14, 2024
I find it staggering and deeply depressing that our Parliament is run with rules far, far less stringent than those of a plc. And that senior politicians take blatant advantage. https://t.co/BgQxOqLkE6
— jonathan dayman (@jonathandayman) December 14, 2024
Dogged detective work. Johnson is just a mess and a liar & everyone around him debasing themselves covering up and lying on his behalf. Surely, upon not receiving any expenses for that year they would have called his office to clarify the situation. No? Lying to cover up for him https://t.co/dnpIybvZvN
— Professor Moriarty (@calmoriarty) December 13, 2024
Former Conservative MP, and bafflingly frequent commentator on current affairs, Edwina Currie stepped up to divert attention to the scandal surrounding Victoria Starmer‘s clothing.
She very much left an open goal, into which several entertaining tap-ins were booted – mostly regarding everything else that Johnson had been gifted by donors.
1.
But not his wallpaper, takeaways or IT lessons.
— Colin the Dachshund (@DachshundColin) December 15, 2024
2.
Just didn't pay for
– his own takeaways
– wedding
– accommodation after being PM
The Bamfords did despite questions about vast amount of tax owing— dave lawrence (@dave43law) December 14, 2024
3.
Johnson didn't pay for one of the most expensive legal teams in Britain to defend his multiple lies to parliament though did he?
The British taxpayer footed the bill on top of everything else he pilfered from them— Capman #FBPE (@Euro_toff) December 14, 2024
4.
Johnson was the most corrupt, fraudulent, greedy, grasping PM this country has ever seen & he’s STILL stealing from the public purse now. He ruled over a government of out & out thieves (VIP Lane ring any bells?) Incredible that you should pick a fight on this ground.
— Snow (@Lookinupatstars) December 14, 2024
5.
Not his many holidays, legal costs, food deliveries, wedding, wallpaper and interior design though. You must have forgotten.
— Alan Thompson (@AlanThompson58) December 14, 2024
6.
But not his £25k wedding. Or holiday. Or food during Covid.
— Cllr Kathryn Walker (@KathrynDW59) December 14, 2024
7.
Did he though? Did he really? When every aspect of his existence was funded by 'generous' donations. If someone gave me lavish free holidays, refurbished my flat at huge expense & paid for my wedding… but I bought myself a bag of chips on the weekend with 'my own money'… ?
— Duncan Bamford (@duncan_bamford) December 15, 2024
8.
I can tell. https://t.co/njrJrPEGi2 pic.twitter.com/JuX6me0MJi
— Lloyd Lewis (@LloydGeorge57) December 14, 2024
9.
We paid for Johnson's 2012-2016 mistress, Jennifer Arcuri. They went on trips overseas and she was at Prince Andrew's D5 Summit launch. She secured a special entrepreneur visa.
Of course, it was quid pro quo. Our quid though.
Evidence then deleted. And we paid for his legal fees. pic.twitter.com/n2P5X8BL7u— Cockney Campaign (@cockneycampaign) December 15, 2024
10.
He looked as if he'd nicked them out of a skip.☘
— Bibi blackwood (@Bibiblackwood7) December 14, 2024
11.
You’re certain of that?
— SoccerMomma (@SoccerMomma12) December 14, 2024
As much as we hate to ‘well, actually’ Mrs Currie, well, actually …
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Source Emily Thornberry Image Screengrab