BORIS Johnson has sought to end a spat among senior Tory ministers over access to a grace and favour country mansion.
Liz Truss and Dominic Raab have been locked in a battle for access to Chevening, a 115-room Kent country house, since the Cabinet reshuffle last month.
Truss sought to stake her claim to the property – which is traditionally reserved for foreign secretaries – when she replaced Raab in the role.
However Raab fought a rear-guard action to keep it after being made Deputy Prime Minister as well as the more junior position of Justice Secretary.
Pleased to welcome our three Baltic partners to the UK.
— Liz Truss (@trussliz) October 11, 2021
🇬🇧 supported their independence in 1991. 30 years on, we stand with them once again to advance freedom and democracy 🇪🇪🇱🇻🇱🇹
I look forward to discussing how we boost economic and security ties to face down malign actors. pic.twitter.com/TWOCTAJ332
READ MORE: Three times Liz Truss has been mocked by Scots for embarrassing blunders
In the end, Johnson – as first reported by The Times – decided that, rather than risk upsetting one or other of his colleagues, they should share it.
He cited the precedent of the last time there was a deputy prime minister – Sir Nick Clegg – who shared it with then foreign secretary Lord Hague of Richmond and later his successor Lord Hammond of Runnymede.
A Government spokesman said: “The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary will share access to Chevening as has happened in previous administrations.”
The ruling by Johnson – who has been holidaying in Spain – came after Truss provocatively posted a picture online of herself meeting the foreign ministers of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia at the Grade I-listed building.
Under the terms of the Chevening Estate Act 1959, the house – which is privately owned by a board of trustees – is occupied by someone nominated by the Prime Minister.
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