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Senior Tory says Boris Johnson should resign if he breached ministerial rules

Leader of Scottish Conservatives says PM should ‘of course’ quit if he has not been honest about payments for Downing Street refurb
One of the UK’s most senior Conservatives has broken ranks and called for Boris Johnson to resign if he breached ministerial rules over the refurbishment of a Downing Street flat, amid new claims that undeclared donations have been sought to fund the prime minister’s lavish lifestyle.
Douglas Ross, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, said on Sunday that Johnson should “of course” quit if he is found to have breached the code by failing to be honest about cash payments from a Conservative donor sought to redecorate his official residence.
His intervention, which caught No 10 by surprise, came after Johnson was accused of successfully obtaining funds for the flat from a second donor, while a third was alleged to have been asked to pay for his one-year-old son’s care.
It comes as the party attempts to move on from a torrid week and gears up for elections across the UK on Thursday. Labour has narrowed the Tories’ lead since the barrage of sleaze allegations began.
Appearing on BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show, Ross was asked if Johnson should stand down if found to be in breach of the ministerial code.
“Of course, I think people expect the highest standards of those in the highest office of the land,” he said. “That’s why I think people are looking at the investigations that are currently ongoing and waiting for the answers.”
The new standards adviser, Christopher Geidt, is investigating whether Johnson has breached the ministerial code, which sets out the conduct expected of ministers and how they discharge their duties.
Johnson would be expected to show that his behaviour was consistent with the code, which makes clear there should be “no actual or perceived conflicts of interest”.
His former chief aide Dominic Cummings reignited the row over the flat renovation after claiming the prime minister had sought donors’ cash in an “unethical, foolish, possibly illegal” scheme.
Money from the Tory donor David Brownlow was allegedly used to fund part of a £200,000 renovation in the flat above No 11 Downing Street where Johnson resides with his fiancee, Carrie Symonds, and their son, Wilfred. It is alleged that Symonds had described the flat as “a John Lewis nightmare” when they moved in after Theresa May left.
The Sunday Times reported that there was a second invoice settled by a third party – believed to be another Conservative donor – directly with the contractor. Downing Street refused to comment on this claim.
Yet another Tory donor has claimed that they were asked to foot the bill for a nanny for Wilfred, the Mail on Sunday and the Sunday Times claimed. The donor is alleged to have said: “I don’t mind paying for leaflets but I resent being asked to pay to literally wipe the prime minister’s baby’s bottom.”
Former Downing Street insiders claim that Johnson’s finances are a mess and are a reflection of the way he runs the government. He earns £157,372 a year as prime minister but he is said to have told friends that he requires £300,000 to keep afloat.
Johnson has retained the power to frustrate any inquiry by Geidt into his behaviour. He remains the “ultimate arbitrator” of the code and gets the final say on whether he broke the rules, a situation Labour says allows him to be his own judge and jury.
Geidt’s predecessor, Sir Alex Allan, resigned in November after Johnson overruled his inquiry, which found evidence that the home secretary, Priti Patel, had bullied staff.
Dame Margaret Hodge, the Labour MP and former chair of the public accounts committee, said the prime minister and his government were not maintaining the standards needed to maintain a healthy democracy.
“If you’re taking money in this secretive, private way, how is it influencing how you are approaching the issues of state?
“This is a really dangerous point in which our democracy could be undermined,” she said.
“Is it the tip of an iceberg and are there other ways in which the funding of his rather lavish lifestyle has been dependent on individuals giving him cash and what do they want in return?”
The Electoral Commission this week launched an investigation into whether any donations or loans to pay for the refurbishment of his residence in No 11 were properly declared.
The foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, was asked to defend Johnson on Sunday, but declined to say whether he should resign if he is found to have broken the law.
“I think the right thing for me to do is respect the integrity of those reviews and let them run their course,” he said.
Raab also declined to deny a claim that a second invoice for renovations may have been settled with the supplier by a Tory donor.
Asked about the suggestion that a Tory donor was asked to pay for a nanny, he said: “I have no idea, you don’t have conversations like that with the PM,” he told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday.
Although earlier polls suggested the sleaze allegations were not significantly denting public support for the Tories, two new surveys indicated they could be having an effect before the local elections in England and votes for the parliaments in Scotland and Wales.
The Conservatives (42%) fell to a five-point lead over Labour (37%), according to the Opinium poll of more than 2,000 adults between Wednesday and Friday.
In separate polling, Focaldata put Labour on 39%, one point behind the Tories, who previously had a healthy lead, according to the Sunday Times.
A No 10 spokesperson said the prime minister “has covered the cost of all childcare”, but did not respond when asked if he paid for the original bill himself or had reimbursed somebody else.
Johnson has denied breaking any laws over the refurbishment of his residence and insisted he has paid “personally” for the works.
source: Rajeev Syal
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- 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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