London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Aug 05, 2025

Boris Johnson accused of corruption after ‘great exhibition’ text emerges

Boris Johnson accused of corruption after ‘great exhibition’ text emerges

PM sought funds for flat refurb from Tory donor while promising to consider plans for mystery event

Boris Johnson has been accused of corruption after it emerged that he sought funds for his flat refurbishment from a Conservative donor while promising to consider plans for a mystery “great exhibition”.

The prime minister is facing fresh questions after newly published WhatsApp messages with the Tory peer David Brownlow show Johnson called parts of his Downing Street residence a “tip” and asked for “approvals” so his decor designer, Lulu Lytle, could “get on with it” in November 2020.

He signed off the message by saying: “Ps am on the great exhibition plan Will revert.” Lord Brownlow replied: “Of course, get Lulu to call me and we’ll get it sorted ASAP! Thanks for thinking about GE2.”

On Thursday, Johnson was forced to make a “humble and sincere” apology for the texts not being given to his independent ethics adviser during an initial inquiry last spring.

The first Great Exhibition was held in Hyde Park in 1851. Plans for a “Great Exhibition 2.0” were discussed by Brownlow and the then culture secretary, Oliver Dowden, weeks after the WhatsApp exchanges, official records show.

Asked what the great exhibition plan Johnson had referred to was, his spokesperson said it was an “idea that wasn’t taken forward”. He added that instead “Festival UK” – formerly known as the Festival of Brexit – would be going ahead in 2022 but could not explain the difference between that event and the great exhibition plan.

On 18 January 2021 Brownlow held a meeting with Dowden at the Royal Albert Hall “to discuss plans for Great Exhibition 2.0”. A government source indicated it was a “private initiative” from the Royal Albert Hall, of which Brownlow is a trustee according to his register of interests.

Several events similar to a “Great Exhibition 2.0” have been considered by the government. Originally conceived by Theresa May’s administration as a “Festival of Brexit”, then “Festival 2022”, the government-backed £120m event was given the green light by Johnson and will go ahead this year under the name “Unboxed”.

Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, said it appeared Brownlow had access to Johnson and Dowden “because he was paying” for the refurbishments. She said if true, it would constitute “corruption, plain and simple”, and added: “No one should be able to buy access or exchange wallpaper for festivals.”

The Liberal Democrats’ chief whip, Wendy Chamberlain, said: “It stinks of the worst kind of Conservative cronyism, with Boris Johnson seemingly happy to scratch his lord donor’s back to get his flat spruced up in return.”

The WhatsApp messages were published as part of letters exchanged by Johnson and his independent ethics adviser, Christopher Geidt. For a second time, Lord Geidt found that the prime minister did not break the ministerial code over the payments for the Downing Street flat refurbishment, but Johnson was criticised for acting “unwisely”.

The prime minister apologised for the texts not being handed to Geidt last spring, saying he had not remembered them and did not have access to his phone due to “security issues” – thought to relate to when his mobile number was discovered online.

In thinly veiled frustration, Geidt said the saga “shook my confidence” and added that if he had seen the evidence when writing his first report, he may not have ruled that Johnson tried to make the correct declaration and seek advice at the first opportunity.

While Johnson initially told Geidt he did not know Brownlow was funding £58,000 of renovations to the No 11 residence until “immediately prior to media reports”, the full details of the prime minister’s direct request for funds were published on Thursday.

The WhatsApp messages revealed an “intimacy” between Johnson and Brownlow, said Sir Alistair Graham, a former chair of the committee on standards in public life. He told the Guardian: “It shows he was well aware of what was going on in Downing Street. It raises the question about how Johnson wouldn’t have known he was providing real cash for the refurbishment.

“It would certainly provide an incentive for his idea, getting close to the prime minister in order to get it off the ground, by helping him with his refurbishment. It adds to the unsavoury nature of the whole exercise.”

No 10 denied there was anything untoward about Brownlow’s meeting with Dowden and stressed the peer had acted with integrity since first being approached to chair the Downing Street trust. A spokesperson said it was normal for ministers to meet stakeholders and hear proposals put to them, adding: “In line with normal practice this idea was referred to the relevant department, considered and ultimately not taken forward by the government.”

Brownlow was contacted for comment.

The ‘missing exchange’

29 November 2020, 12.59pm
Boris Johnson:


Hi David
I am afraid parts of our flat are still a bit of a tip and am keen to allow Lulu Lytle to get on with it. Can I possibly ask her to get in touch with you for approvals ?
Many thanks and all best
Boris
Ps am on the great exhibition plan Will revert.

29 November 2020, 3.44pm
David Brownlow:


Afternoon Prime Minister, I hope you’re both well
Sorry for the delay I was out for a walk and didn’t have my ‘work’ phone with me.
Of course, get Lulu to call me and we’ll get it sorted ASAP !
Thanks for thinking about GE2
Best wishes David

29 November 2020, 4.10pm
David Brownlow:


I should have said, as the Trust isn’t set up yet (will be in January) approval is a doddle as it’s only me and I know where the £ will come from, so as soon as Lulu calls we can crack on – David

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Receives $23.7 Billion Tesla Stock Award
Texas House Paralyzed After Democrats Walk Out Over Redistricting
Mexican Cartels Complicate Sheinbaum’s U.S. Security Talks
Mark Zuckerberg Declares War on the iPhone
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
×