"The ethics watchdog approved Mr Johnson's 2024 work for a climate consultancy chasing Saudi funds provided he did not lobby contacts from his time in office. But he'd already made the approach. At about the same time, his taxpayer-funded team was helping him pursue a billion-dollar deal from Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund, courting an official he had hosted in No 10. There was no prior approval from the authorities. Mr Johnson didn't wait for clearance. He was too busy attempting to cash in."
"Five other former prime ministers Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May and Liz Truss have released statements saying they fully comply with rules prohibiting the use of public funds for private business. Rishi Sunak does not claim the allowance. Mr Johnson's conduct appears to be an outlier. And not for the first time. This is not just a question of semantics."
Boris Johnson received £182,000 from the public duty costs allowance (PDCA) since 2022 while leaked documents indicate his staff worked on private global deals as well as public duties. The PDCA is intended to support former prime ministers' public roles, not profit-making ventures. The ethics watchdog approved a 2024 climate consultancy role only if he avoided lobbying former contacts, but Johnson had already approached targets. At the same time, his taxpayer-funded team pursued a billion-dollar Abu Dhabi sovereign fund deal without prior approval. Johnson has denied wrongdoing; other former prime ministers say they fully comply with rules.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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