, Dec 9 () –
The UK Election Commission on Thursday fined the Conservative Party 17,800 pounds (more than 20,700 euros) for not “reporting correctly on the donation” that allowed a controversial reform of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s apartment.
The British Election Commission, an independent agency that controls the financing of political parties, among other things, launched an investigation into the reform of the official apartment of the ‘premier’ in Downing Street after information emerged that the works could have been originally paid for through donations.
The investigation, which has also concluded that the political establishment did not “have a proper accounting record” around the donation, has revealed that the member of the House of Lords Lord Brownlow gave the Conservatives more than 52,000 pounds (more than 60,600 euros) for the renovation, which Johnson’s office initially paid for.
The prime minister receives an annual income of 30,000 pounds (about 35,000 euros) to spend in his official home, located at 11 Downing Street. However, in the United Kingdom it is speculated that the price of the reform of the home of the ‘premier’ rose to 200,000 pounds (more than 233,000 euros).
A spokesman for the ‘Tories’ has indicated that the party is considering appealing the fine, a decision that will be made in 28 days, according to the BBC.
The Electoral Commission had already indicated that there were “sufficient” reasons to “suspect that an infraction or infractions may have occurred” around the housing reform work, which came to the fore after its former chief adviser, Dominic Cummings , pointed to an alleged plan for donors to pay them “in secret.”
Although there are no regulations that prohibit the possibility of receiving donations, British politicians have to declare them publicly, so that the public can know who has given them money and determine if donors have influence in the decisions they make.
Johnson reiterated that he took care of the cost of the renovation work “personally” but has not indicated who paid for the initial bill.
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