London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 26, 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
Robert Jenrick Defends £5 Million Donation to Nigel Farage Amid Political Scrutiny
Plymouth Museum The Box Wins 2026 Art Fund Museum of the Year Award
UK Government Faces Backlash Over Plans to Use Former Military Sites for Asylum Accommodation
Labour Party Faces Pressure Over Cabinet Stability as Senior Figures Clash on Policy Direction
Heathrow Airport Forecasts Passenger Decline in 2026 as Costs and Climate Disruption Mount
UK Energy Regulator Approves Expansion of Long-Duration Storage to Boost Power System Resilience
Crown Estate Reports Third Consecutive Year of £1 Billion Profit as Debate Over Royal Finances Intensifies
Teenager Charged With Murder in Wales Following Death of 14-Year-Old Boy
Nottingham University Hospitals Maternity Failures Trigger Calls for Public Inquiry Into Patient Safety
EasyJet Rejects £4.9 Billion Takeover Offer From Castlelake but Keeps Door Open for Further Talks
Record Heatwave Triggers UK Transport and Infrastructure Strain as Heathrow Revises Passenger Forecast Downward
Ofgem Approves Sixteen Long-Duration Energy Storage Projects to Strengthen UK Grid Stability
Labour Government Faces Internal Tensions Over Cabinet Decisions and Net Zero Policy Direction
British Food and Drink Exports Fall to Decade Low Amid Trade Friction and US Tariffs
Great Britain Grid Operator Spends £10 Million to Stabilize Electricity Supply During Heatwave Demand Surge
UK Parliament Committee Calls for Urgent National Adaptation Strategy as Extreme Heat Strains Public Infrastructure
Record-Breaking Heatwave Pushes England’s National Health Service to Critical Incident Status as Hospitals Struggle With Surge in Emergencies
UK Government Launches Review of Voluntary National Insurance Contributions System
UK Planning Inspectorate Reports Key Infrastructure and Planning Milestones in Annual Review
UK Government Reviews Travel Expense Reimbursement Rates for Employers and Employees
Civil Nuclear Constabulary Launches National Digital Memorial for Officers Killed in Service
UK and US Expand Collaboration on Nuclear Fusion Research and Workforce Exchange
Environment Agency Secures £275,000 Enforcement Deal with Anglian Water Over Permit Breaches
Independent Inspector Flags Ongoing Failures in UK Home Office Border Case Management
UK Government Considers Zero VAT Rate on Land for Social Housing Development
Bank of England Reports Sharp Drop in Emissions and Warns on Climate-Driven Financial Risk
Consumer Confidence in the UK Falls at Fastest Quarterly Rate Since 2022
UK Borrowing Costs Rise Sharply on Gilt Markets Amid Fiscal and Political Concerns
UK Government Plans Legislation to Bring British Steel into Public Ownership
UK Government Secures £210 Million Nuclear Fuel Deal to Support Ukraine Energy Security
London Ambulance Service Reports Record Emergency Call Volume Amid Severe Heatwave
United Kingdom Faces Record June Heatwave as Temperatures Hit 36.7°C in Somerset
UK Financial Services Reform Debate Intensifies Over Ministerial Regulatory Powers
UK Energy Price Cap Rise Expected to Keep Inflation Above Target Through 2026
UK Biohacking and AI Wellness Trends Drive Surge in Personal Health Monitoring
UK Social Care Sector Sees Workforce Shift as Overseas Recruitment Masks Domestic Labour Decline
Nuffield Trust Warns UK Health Budgets Remain Vulnerable Despite Record Spending Levels
UK Coal Pension Surplus Debate Returns to Parliament as Reform UK MP Seeks Clarity on Distribution
UK MPs Consider E-Petition Calling for NHS Newborn Screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy
UK Parliament Debates E-Petition Calling for Inquiry Into Pro-Israel Influence in Politics
UK Economy Grew 0.6 Percent in Q1 2026 but Business Sentiment Weakens Over Geopolitical Risks
UK Financial Services Bill Enters Lords Committee Stage With Expanded Ministerial Powers
UK Armed Forces Bill Advances With Plans for Defence Housing Service and Drone Defence Measures
UK Treasury Proposes Higher Electricity Generator Levy and Updated Mileage Allowance Rules
UK Parliament Debates Health Bill Amid Persistent GP Access and Patient Satisfaction Concerns
UK Financial Sanctions Regulator Signals Faster, Intelligence-Led Enforcement Strategy
British Chambers of Commerce Warns Business Confidence Crisis Is Dampening UK Investment
UK Parliament Debates Carbon Budget Order as Pressure Mounts on Net Zero Delivery
UK Energy Price Volatility Reinforces Pressure for Faster Electrification of Economy
UK Defence and Aerospace Strategy Gains Momentum as Keir Starmer Pushes Industrial Cooperation in Berlin
×