Boris Johnson, whose personal finances have been scrutinized after a string of controversies, has refused to pay a minor debt six months after a court order, according to documents released on Wednesday.
Johnson has yet to pay a debt of £535 ($757, 624 euros) following a verdict on October 26 last year, according to an online database of civil county court judgments in England and Wales.
The judgment, which was first stated by the fortnightly satirical and news magazine Private Eye and seen by AFP, contains no information about the debt or the creditor.
Johnson is listed as the debtor, with his address listed as 10 Downing Street, which has been the home of prime ministers since 1735 and is one of the most well-known addresses in the world.
Johnson’s office did not respond to media inquiries about the situation right away.
However, in recent weeks, the Conservative leader’s personal finances have become increasingly public.
The Electoral Commission is investigating how he paid for a luxurious makeover of his Downing Street apartment.
The inquiry follows claims that a wealthy Conservative supporter made a £58,000 donation that was not properly registered.
Johnson has maintained that he paid for the renovations out of his annual government allowance and has denied any misconduct or lack of accountability.
However, some other watchdogs and authorities are looking into the matter.
The 56-year-old British leader’s payment for a luxurious Caribbean vacation in late 2019 is also being investigated by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.
Conservative donors were contacted earlier this month to cover the expense of a nanny for Johnson’s one-year-old son Wilfred, according to newspapers.
According to media reports, he has been struggling financially since taking office, having had to give up previously lucrative jobs as a newspaper columnist and after-dinner speaker.
Following several previous violations of parliament’s code of conduct for politicians, Johnson is said to be on a “last note” from the standards committee.
He was found to have withheld information about a property he purchased in southwest England in 2019.
According to The New York Times, authorities determined he was late registering his financial interests on four occasions involving nine payments the previous year.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
