• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
  • Guest Content
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home News Media

Emily Maitlis explaining why PM’s ‘dodgy refurb’ matters goes viral

"It matters because it involves standards, rules and integrity in public office, and once those values start to erode can the public ever expect to get them back?"

Jack Peat by Jack Peat
2021-04-29 10:36
in Media, News
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

Emily Mailtis’s introduction to last night’s Newsnight has been making the rounds on social media.

The BBC presenter’s monologue delved into a scandal that has gripped Number 10 this week after it was revealed Boris Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds splashed out up to £200,000 on a refurbishment of their flat.

That includes wallpaper that cost £840 a roll, a Baby Bear sofa that cost £9,800, a Lilly Drum table at £3,000 and an armchair at £5,900.

Prime ministers are given an annual public grant of £30,000 to spend on the Grade I-listed property, which means the couple will have had to find £170,000 on their own.

As Maitlis explains, therein lies the rub:

“This is not a story about furnishings, wallpaper and mood lighting, it’s not even a story about John Lewis, it’s a story about which money changed hands to pay for them, why it has not yet been formally declared and why we still don’t know what happened.”

She concluded that this matters because it “involves standards, rules and integrity in public office, and once those values start to erode can the public ever expect to get them back?” in a clip that has gone viral this morning on social media.

Emily Maitlis succinctly explaining…

Why. It. Matters#Newsnight pic.twitter.com/D51IXi0URy

— David (@Zero_4) April 28, 2021

It comes as Sir Keir Starmer claimed an investigation into the refurbishment of Boris Johnson’s Downing Street flat could be “over in five minutes” if he revealed “who paid for it in the first place”.

He spoke out after the Electoral Commission launched a formal investigation into the matter.

RelatedPosts

Unite secures 28% pay rise for hundreds of Luton airport workers

Woman dies from hypothermia after telling her doctor she ‘couldn’t afford heating’

Serving Met Police officer pleads guilty to child sexual offences

BBC chairman set to be grilled by MPs amid questions over Boris Johnson loan

 Talking to ITV’s Robert Peston he said: “He’s got the Cabinet Secretary doing an investigation, got the Electoral Commission doing an investigation.

“Those investigations could be over in five minutes if the Prime Minister just answered the question, who paid for it in the first place?”

Challenged by the Labour leader over the issue at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Mr Johnson said he “personally” paid for the renovations, but refused to answer whether he received an initial loan from the Tory party.

Related: NI justice minister laments Johnson’s Brexit promises, saying he has been ‘incredibly dishonest’

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

Sainsbury’s chief: “If we shop just for food we and our families need, there will be enough”

Stunning Dutch barge on River Thames put on the market & there is no stamp duty

Afghan families met with ‘avalanche of love’ in the UK, British Red Cross says

Investment companies roundup – August 2019

Pineau De Re Mark II?

Spotlight on Trinidad and Tobago: 2015.

Money pours in for Corbyn’s ‘legal fund’ following suspension

Churchill: Film Review

Moving out of London? Discover your best commuter options

Watch: Brexit deal winners ‘are Australian producers, Australian farmers, indeed Australia full stop’

JOBS

FIND MORE JOBS

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

Contact

Editorial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Commercial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Address

The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE
Company number 09221879
International House,
24 Holborn Viaduct,
London EC1A 2BN,
United Kingdom

SUPPORT

We do not charge or put articles behind a paywall. If you can, please show your appreciation for our free content by donating whatever you think is fair to help keep TLE growing and support real, independent, investigative journalism.

DONATE & SUPPORT

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.