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Boris Johnson must ‘come clean’ about flat refurb, says Labour

Call comes as minister refuses to deny reports work at No 11 flat was originally funded by Tory donors
Allegations of Conservative cronyism and sleaze must be cleaned up, the shadow foreign secretary has said, as a government minister repeatedly refused to deny reports the prime minister’s flat refurbishments were originally funded by Tory party donors.
Lisa Nandy renewed Labour’s attack on its political opponents as questions surrounding Boris Johnson’s financial affairs – and, therefore, his potential vulnerability to undue influence – refused to dissipate on Wednesday.
“We are focused on the pandemic but we also want to know that we have a prime minister in this country who puts the interests of the people in this country first,” Nandy told Sky News.
She was referring to allegations the Tory peer Lord Brownlow was the ultimate source of the money used to pay for the prime minister’s redecoration of his private living quarters above 11 Downing Street.
“The problem with what has gone on over the flat is we still don’t know who loaned the prime minister this money, he won’t even confirm or deny whether it was loaned or not, we don’t know why he didn’t declare it and we don’t know what he offered them in return.
“The reason those rules are there is so we know who powerful figures are beholden to, who they may owe favours to so we can properly scrutinise and check that they’re not acting in the interests of a privileged few over and above the majority of people in this country.
“At the moment, we do not have a prime minister in this country that we can be confident is acting in the interests of the British people; that’s just unacceptable.”
Nandy added: “We’ve got to see him come to the House of Commons, make a statement about this, come clean about who offered him money, who he took money from, and what he owes them in return … we’ve got to start to clean up this sleaze at the heart of government.”
The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, declined several opportunities to deny publicly the reports that the money had originally come from donors during interviews with the BBC and Sky News on Wednesday, repeating Downing Street’s line that the prime minister paid for the refurbishment himself.
While No 10 has been keen to stress that point, critics have pointed out that it does not address whether the money originally came from donors.
On BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Shapps was asked repeatedly why – if Johnson’s claims that all was above-board were true – No 10 would not simply publish all of the evidence, as it has the power to do and as it has done in the past. He said the cabinet secretary would publish a review at a later date.
Johnson has been coming under pressure from his own party to explain where the money came from. A former Labour chancellor refused to join a trust overseeing Downing Street’s upkeep out of concerns it could lead to a cash-for-access scandal.
Johnson’s former aide Dominic Cummings has alleged that the prime minister had planned to have donors “secretly pay” for work on the flat. Cummings called this “unethical, foolish, possibly illegal and almost certainly broke the rules on proper disclosure of political donations if conducted in the way he intended”.
source: Kevin Rawlinson
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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