Renovation of Boris' flat cost at least £52,000: Party handed over 'bridging loan' to cover cost of works that was 'reimbursed in full' by Tory donor Lord Brownlow, accounts reveal

A Tory donor provided more than £52,000 to cover some of the costs of Boris Johnson's lavish renovations to his Downing Street residence, according to party accounts.

The refurbishments to the flat in No 11 sparked sustained scrutiny of Mr Johnson's finances, with the works vastly exceeding the £30,000 annual limit afforded to the Prime Minister.

Conservative Party accounts published today said its central office provided a 'bridging loan' of £52,802 to cover the works after being invoiced by the Cabinet Office in June last year.

The party was 'reimbursed in full' in October by Lord Brownlow, a former vice-chairman of the party who has made more than £3million in donations over the years.

Conservative Party accounts show that Lord Brownlow, a former vice-chairman of the party who has made more than £3million in donations over the years, provided more than £52,000 to cover some of the costs of Boris Johnson's lavish renovations

Mr Johnson then 'settled the costs' incurred by the Conservative peer in March.

Questions over the funding of the refit, 'inspired' by upmarket interior designer Lulu Lytle and said to have cost a six-figure sum, has caused a storm at CCHQ for the last half a year.

In March, leaked emails from October showed Lord Brownlow appearing to confirm he had made his payment, adding that the donation should be attributed to the 'soon-to-be-formed Downing Street Trust'.

When the emails were broached in the House of Commons, the PM insisted he 'paid for the refurbishment myself' and had abided by the ministerial code.

No10 then came under fire for saying Conservative funds were not 'currently' being used for a refurbishment, but not addressing whether they had been in the past. 

The refurbishments to the flat in No 11 sparked sustained scrutiny of Mr Johnson's finances, with the works vastly exceeding the £30,000 annual limit afforded to the Prime Minister

Three different reviews and reports were launched into the funding, one each by the Electoral Commission and parliamentary commissioner for standards, while the Prime Minister announced his new independent adviser on ministerial interests Lord Geidt would also investigate.

Revealing the details on page 25 of the 26-page accounts, the Conservatives pointed to a review by the Prime Minister's own ministerial standards adviser, Lord Geidt.

He found Mr Johnson acted 'unwisely' in allowing the refurbishment to go ahead without 'more rigorous regard for how this would be funded', but did not breach the ministerial code.

The standards adviser said Mr Johnson had not been aware Lord Brownlow had initially settled an invoice for the works.

Questions over the funding of the refit, 'inspired' by upmarket interior designer Lulu Lytle and said to have cost a six-figure sum, has caused a storm at CCHQ for the last half a year

A Cabinet Office report in July said more than £28,000 was spent on painting and sanding floorboards, coming close to the limit of public funding.

But additional invoices came in and in March the supplier - Soane Britain, which was founded by Lulu Lytle - refunded the Government, which then refunded the Tories, before Mr Johnson met 'all final costs', the annual report detailed.

Dominic Cummings, the Prime Minister's former chief adviser, had alleged that Mr Johnson planned to have donors 'secretly pay' for the revamp in an 'unethical, foolish' and 'possibly illegal' plan, which No 10 denies. 

There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Lord Brownlow. 

A Conservative spokesman said: 'As stated, the party provided a short-term bridging loan that was reimbursed to the party in full.'

Who is Tory peer Lord Brownlow?

David Brownlow, Baron of Shurlock Row, 57, is an entrepreneur who has had ties with the Conservative party for at least 15 years.

Sitting at 521st on The Sunday Times rich list, Lord Brownlow made his estimated £271 million fortune through recruitment firm Huntswood CTC and later in private equity.

His business empire now covers travel, fashion and hospitality and property - and even includes a chain of gastropubs in southern England.

Originally from Liverpool, he studied economics at Newcastle Polytechnic, before moving south to join Thames Valley Police force in Slough. But his law enforcement aspiration did not stick and instead he found himself moving into recruitment.

Lord Brownlow has been involved in several philanthropic ventures, setting up the David Brownlow Charitable Foundation in 2013 which focuses on work involving communities ‘where there is an element of disadvantage’ in Berkshire where he is based.

He has also been involved in the The Prince’s Countryside Fund and is a trustee of the Royal Albert Hall.

Brownlow has connections with the last three Conservative Prime Ministers. His donations to the Tories started in 2005, the year David Cameron took the party’s leadership. Since then he has donated around £3million to the party frequently in smaller amounts.

He dined with former PM Theresa May at Chequers in November 2017, shortly after vice-chairman of the party in July, a position he held until July 2020.

Following her resignation in 2019, May recommended Lord Brownlow for a life peerage.

He also donation £100,000 to the pro-EU Stronger In campaign during the 2016 Brexit referendum.