London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jun 16, 2026

Rupert Murdoch pays £11,000 for Boris Johnson to visit

Rupert Murdoch pays £11,000 for Boris Johnson to visit

Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch paid more than £11,000 for Boris Johnson to visit him in the US last month, the latest list of MPs' financial interests shows.

Mr Johnson and two staff members were flown to Montana on 11 and 12 October - with internal US flights, accommodation and hospitality paid for by Mr Murdoch.

The pair held a private meeting, the BBC understands.

The latest list also shows Mr Johnson was paid £276,000 for a speech five weeks after leaving Downing Street.

On 14 October - a few days after visiting Mr Murdoch - Mr Johnson spoke to the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers in Colorado Springs. He gave a 30-minute speech and a 45-minute "fireside chat" at the event.

The former PM worked for eight-and-a-half hours, meaning he was paid an hourly rate of more than £32,400. Mr Johnson and two members of staff also received free transport and accommodation.

The Register of Members' Financial Interests is published twice a month and shows MPs' outside income, gifts, visits and other benefits - anything they receive which could influence their actions, speeches or votes in Parliament.

Mr Johnson's visit to Mr Murdoch - who reportedly bought a ranch in Montana last December - came just over a week before Liz Truss resigned as UK prime minister. Her resignation sparked a leadership race which saw Mr Johnson win support to run, before dramatically withdrawing from the contest.

It is not the first time Mr Johnson and Mr Murdoch have met. The pair held several meetings while Mr Johnson was prime minister - according to Cabinet Office records - and also met when Mr Johnson was mayor of London.


Boris Johnson arriving at Gatwick Airport from the Caribbean last month amid speculation he would run to replace Liz Truss

Mr Murdoch's News Corp owns several newspapers including the Wall Street Journal in the US, and the Sun and the Times in the UK.

For decades the billionaire was a force in politics at the highest level. But after the phone-hacking scandal and the closure of The News of The World in 2011, his political allies deserted him and his reputation was knocked.

However his influence began to rise again when political hopefuls such as Nigel Farage and former US President Donald Trump approached Mr Murdoch for help.

This week, news outlets that are part of Mr Murdoch's empire appeared to ditch support for Mr Trump. On Tuesday night, Fox News cut away during Trump's announcement of his new White House campaign, the Wall Street Journal editorial board called Trump a "loser" and the New York Post covered the news with the headline: "Florida Man Makes Announcement".

Thursday's update to the UK MPs' financial interests list also shows:

*  Fellow former PM Theresa May was paid £97,000 for a speech at an event hosted by private equity firm Apax Partners, as well as £8,000 for a virtual one-hour speaking event with World 50, a "private community for senior-most executives" based in the US

*  Liz Truss received a donation of more than £33,000 in September to cover winding up costs for her leadership campaign

*  Former UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock - who is currently appearing in I'm A Celebrity - received £10,000 for a speech at a fintech conference last month

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Supreme Court Revises Legal Definition of Deprivation of Liberty
King’s Birthday Honours Recognise Contributions Across Science, Culture and Public Service
UK Ministry of Defence Reports Interdiction of Russian Shadow Fleet Vessel
UK and US Launch Joint Regulatory Programme for Medicines and Healthcare Products
Solicitor General Refers Murder Sentence to Court of Appeal Under Unduly Lenient Scheme
UK Launches £1.6 Million Mobile Museum Initiative to Expand Cultural Access
Judicial Pay Structure Undergoes Government Review Following Senior Recommendations
Government Confirms Nearly 180 New Youth Hubs Across the United Kingdom
UK Government Expands Careers Support Through Partnership with LinkedIn
Digital News Report Highlights Growing Global Concern Over AI and Information Overload
UK Chancellor Reaffirms Fiscal Discipline and Borrowing Reduction Strategy
UK Government Invests £219 Million in Sustainable Aviation Fuel Development
Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactors Secures Major Swedish Export Contract
Government Confirms Locations for Nearly 180 Youth Hubs Across Great Britain
UK Government Partners with LinkedIn to Expand Employment Support Services
Reuters Institute Report Flags Rising Public Anxiety Over News and Information Overload
UK Government Commits £219 Million to Expand Sustainable Aviation Fuel Industry
Chancellor Convenes Market Engagement Group to Assess UK Economic Outlook and Productivity Risks
Rolls-Royce Wins Multibillion-Pound Swedish Contract for Small Modular Nuclear Reactors
Government to Ban Social Media Access for Under-Sixteens Across the United Kingdom
Government Approves Fast-Tracked Broadcast Merger Reshaping UK's Media Landscape
Resignation of Defence Secretary John Healey Triggers Debate Over UK Military Strategy
Britain Intensifies Diplomatic Efforts to Support US-Iran Ceasefire
Bank of England Faces Tough Interest Rate Choices After Economic Contraction
Belfast Sees Second Day of Anti-Migrant Riots as Police Deploy Water Cannons
UK Economy Shrinks in April as Energy Price Shocks Weigh on Growth
UK to Ban Social Media Access for Children Under 16 From 2027
UK Parliament Opens Week of Fast-Tracked Security and Infrastructure Legislation
Northern Ireland Projects £21 Million Boost From Major Cultural and Sporting Events
UK and Japan Sign Technology Security Pact to Strengthen AI and Supply Chain Cooperation
UK Welcomes US-Iran Peace Breakthrough Aimed at Restoring Strait of Hormuz Shipping
British Forces Intercept Russian Shadow Fleet Oil Tanker in English Channel Sanctions Operation
UK to Ban Social Media for Under-16s Under Landmark Online Safety Expansion
Anti-Immigrant Riots Spread Across Belfast, Raising Security Concerns
Ministry of Defence Opens Europe's Largest Drone Testing Facility in Swindon
Kemi Badenoch Calls for Deregulation to Restore City's Global Competitiveness
UK Housing Market Posts Sharpest June Price Decline in Fourteen Years
NHS Waiting Lists Rise to 7.22 Million as Diagnostic Delays Reach New Highs
Makerfield By-Election Raises Prospect of Labour Leadership Challenge
Bank of England Expected to Hold Interest Rates at 3.75% Despite Growing Policy Divisions
Royal Marines Seize Sanctioned Russian Oil Tanker in English Channel
Prime Minister Keir Starmer Set to Ban Social Media and AI Chatbots for Under-16s
United Kingdom Markets Rally After US-Iran Deal Reopens Strait of Hormuz
Defence Secretary John Healey Resigns Over Military Spending Dispute, Triggering Cabinet Crisis
Royal Navy Takes Part in Trooping the Colour for the First Time in 350 Years
Think Tank Warns Labour's European Union Reset Could Carry Significant Economic Costs
UK Semiconductor Centre and Japan's Rapidus Forge Advanced Chip Manufacturing Partnership
UK and Japan Launch Offshore Wind Compact Backed by £9 Billion in Investment
Starmer and Trump Discuss Iran Peace Efforts and Reopening of the Strait of Hormuz
United Kingdom and Japan Sign £18 Billion Investment Partnership Focused on Clean Energy and Advanced Technology
×