Boris Johnson reveals lavish family holiday at Spanish estate was freebie from millionaire Tory

Authored by dailymail.co.uk and submitted by Bloke22
image for Boris Johnson reveals lavish family holiday at Spanish estate was freebie from millionaire Tory

Boris Johnson accepted a free summer holiday for himself and his family from a millionaire former MP he made a peer, it was revealed today.

The Prime Minister quietly revealed in the latest list of ministerial interests that Lord Goldsmith allowed him, Carrie and Wilfred to stay at his £25,000-per-night estate near Marbella without payment.

Goldsmith is the former MP for Richmond Park - a close friend of the PM's wife - who was elevated to the peerage by Mr Johnson after losing his seat at the 2019 election.

The move allowed the 46-year-old to remain in Government as an environment minister. He is currently Minister for the Pacific and the Environment having been given an additional role in a 2020 reshuffle.

The stay at the Torre Tramores in early October sparked fury as Mr Johnson left the UK amid a gas price crisis that struck businesses.

In the latest register, released today, a simple paragraph reads: 'The Prime Minister has a longstanding personal friendship with the Goldsmith family and, in that capacity, in October 2021, stayed in a holiday home in southern Spain which was provided free of charge by the Goldsmiths.

'Given Lord Goldsmith is a Minister of the Crown, the arrangement has accordingly been declared.'

The move allowed the 46-year-old (pictured at Cop26 this week with the Prince of Wales) to remain in Government as an environment minister. He is currently Minister for the Pacific and the Environment.

In the latest register, released today, a simple paragraph reads: 'The Prime Minister has a longstanding personal friendship with the Goldsmith family and, in that capacity, in October 2021, stayed in a holiday home in southern Spain which was provided free of charge by the Goldsmiths. 'Given Lord Goldsmith is a Minister of the Crown, the arrangement has accordingly been declared.'

The private hideaway is a short drive from the picturesque village of Benahavis, and has its own helipad to make sure VIP holidaymakers can arrive and leave without being seen.

Princess Diana is rumoured to have stayed at the exclusive estate, set in over 600 acres of woodland, after her divorce from Prince Charles.

Downing Street insisted the Prime Minister remained in full control of the country when he whisked Carrie and Wilfred off on a sunshine getaway at the opulent Costa del Sol holiday home.

No10 and Government figures defended his right to take a holiday, with Security Minister Damian Hinds saying it was 'important for the whole country' that its political leader has time to switch off.

But it came at a time when producers of steel, glass, ceramics and paper and other sectors were warning they may be forced to halt production unless the government does something about energy prices, which have rocketed due to a shortage of natural gas in Europe.

Mr Johnson faced growing unrest from Tory MPs amid fears thousands of manufacturing jobs could go in crucial northern seats, with global demand and supply chain issues after the pandemic sending fuel costs spiralling.

There were also concerns about the funding of the trip, after his previous family holiday to Mustique in 2019 saw him narrowly avoid action from the sleaze watchdog.

Plenty of security officials and police activity was spotted around the property after Boris' trip was revealed

Mr Johnson was dramatically cleared in the summer of breaking Commons rules over a 'freebie' trip to the millionaire's playground - despite Ms Stone condemning his behaviour and the 'unusual' arrangements.

The cross-party Standards Committee found the PM had made an 'accurate and complete' declaration about the £15,000-per-night holiday in December 2019, saying it was a donation from Carphone Warehouse founder David Ross even though the couple did not stay in his villa.

The committee - chaired by Labour MP Chris Bryant - over-ruled Ms Stone after she concluded that Mr Johnson did breach the Code of Conduct for MPs during a 15-month wrangle after initially failing to provide a full explanation, slamming him for 'not showing the accountability required of those in public life'.

The report also suggested that the premier himself did not know exactly how the jaunt was being funded until after he arrived on Mustique and realised he was not staying in Mr Ross's own property.

isawashipcomesailing on November 4th, 2021 at 17:44 UTC »

not for free, he did it for a peerage and tax breaks.

mcwilg on November 4th, 2021 at 16:03 UTC »

I have to declare anything over £30 or I could lose my job.

£25k a fucking night.

Jobs for the boys, backhanders for the lads. C**ts

Kinga-Minga on November 4th, 2021 at 15:36 UTC »

Just a reminder these people just slashed universal credit & placed millions of people into poverty as a way to “save money”.