Boris Johnson 'squatting' in plush Foreign Office mansion despite quitting days ago

Emilio Casalicchio

Boris Johnson has been accused of “taxpayer-funded squatting” after it emerged he is still living in the grace and favour home for Foreign Secretaries more than a week after he quit the Cabinet.



The Tory heavyweight resigned from the Government earlier this month in protest at Theresa May’s Brexit plan but has been unable to move out of the £20m official residence in Carlton Gardens where he lives rent-free.

He continues to pocket more than £10,000 a year renting out his multi-million pound house in Islington while new Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt remains at his home in Pimlico.

Labour MP Catherine West told the Mirror: “While many people in Westminster are stuck on housing waiting lists, this amounts to taxpayer-funded squatting from Boris.

"He should pack his bags and move on.”

Her Labour colleague Stephen Doughty said the Government should “take back control” of the official Foreign Office residence.

A government spokesman told the paper: “Former Ministers are expected to leave official residences as quickly as practicable at the end of their tenure, taking into account their personal ­circumstances and family needs.

"We can confirm there is no additional cost to taxpayers involved.”

A Whitehall source added that Mr Johnson had been granted permission to live in the mansion until the end of July - and that Mr Hunt is allowed to use it in the meantime for official engagements.

It comes just days after the Tory bigwig was slammed for breaching government rules over his new job writing columns for the Daily Telegraph.