Johnson UK Prime Minister Faces Dire Straits Ahead of Next Month's Local Elections

False Explanation of Official Residence Interior Costs
Also Allegations of COVID-19 Misstatements and Text Message Lobbying

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is cornered by various controversies ahead of the local elections scheduled for the 6th of next month. To make matters worse, opposition parties are calling for an investigation after allegations arose that Johnson made false explanations to manage the situation.

On the 27th (local time), according to The Times of the UK, the British Labour Party sent a letter to Cabinet Secretary Simon Case stating, "An investigation is needed to determine whether the Prime Minister's press secretary deliberately misled journalists despite knowing that Johnson lied."

The allegations of Johnson's lies began in earnest when Dominic Cummings, his former chief advisor and close aide, exposed suspicions of 'illegal donations' on the 23rd. Cummings revealed, "Johnson made an unethical and foolish attempt to secretly receive funds for the official residence's interior from Conservative Party donors."

Four days after Cummings' revelation, the BBC, The Guardian, and others reported that Johnson borrowed ?58,000 (about 90 million KRW) from the Conservative Party for the estimated ?200,000 (310 million KRW) interior renovation costs of the official residence. This money was provided by David Brownlow, who acted as a financial backer for the Conservative Party. This contradicts the statement made by the Prime Minister's press secretary earlier last month, who said, "No Conservative Party funds were used, and the costs were covered by the Prime Minister's personal funds."

According to the BBC and others, the Prime Minister can use donations for interior costs, but if the amount exceeds a certain threshold, it must be reported to the Electoral Commission. However, Johnson has not reported anything related to this. Labour Party leader Keir Starmer raised his voice, saying, "Every day, evidence of Johnson's illegal activities increases," and called for "a full investigation."

Johnson is also embroiled in controversies over inappropriate remarks related to COVID-19 and allegations of 'text lobbying' to resolve tax issues for Dyson's founder. Nearly four out of ten British voters believe Johnson is corrupt. According to a survey conducted by the British weekly magazine The Observer, 38% of the public responded that "Johnson is completely or almost corrupt," while 31% said he is "honest and upright."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.