BORIS Johnson should publish all accounts relating to the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat, the SNP have said.
Reports have suggested the Prime Minister may be struggling to fund the estimated £200,000 makeover, despite his £150,000 salary, and had considered raising cash through a “Downing Street charity”.
According to the Daily Mail, a source said a Cabinet Office asked the Tories if the party was helping to fund the renovation, but they did not get an answer.
The newspaper also reported that some senior Tories were concerned that it was not “appropriate” for party funds to be used “in effect, to subsidise the Prime Minister and his partner’s lifestyle”.
READ MORE: Boris Johnson 'planning secret fund to accept Tory donor cash for No10 makeover'
It comes as the Tories cut public sector pay and failed to make the £20 a Universal Credit uplift permanent. Their Budget also saw a pay increase for NHS staff of just 1%.
Pete Wishart, the SNP’s longest serving MP, said Johnson “never fails to amaze me”.
“Only two days ago, he and his Tory counterparts failed to make the Universal Credit uplift permanent – which could have went a long way in helping the 4.2million children living in poverty in the UK,” he commented.
“Instead, he decides to set up a slush fund to pay for lavish refurbishments in his Downing Street flat. Not only is that grossly inappropriate – it also reeks of secrecy. Unless all of the accounts related to this refurbishment are published, suspicion will rightly linger with many wondering if anything was offered in return.
READ MORE: 'UK is over': SNP welcome blistering Welsh attack on Tories
“Scotland can do better than this, and finally rid ourselves of blatant Tory cronyism. We have an opportunity in May to take the power out of Boris Johnson’s hands, and into the hands of the Scottish people.
“The best way for Scotland to fully recover from this pandemic is to become an independent, European nation.”
The latest polling shows the SNP are on track to secure a majority in May, while another poll yesterday showed majority support for independence.
After a survey on Sunday showed Yes and No split 50/50, a new Savanta ComRes study put backing for leaving the Union seven points ahead on 53%.
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