Labour accused Boris Johnson, the new UK prime minister, of acting "only in the interest of the wealthy elite" after he gave a government job to a businessman who lent him his £9.5 million flat.



The millionaire businessman, Andrew Griffith, was appointed as a "corporate adviser" to Johnson's new administration.

Johnson and his campaign team are holed up in Griffith's £9.5 million property in central London.

Griffith has stepped down from his role at the broadcasting giant Sky.

LONDON — Boris Johnson was accused of allowing friends to "buy influence" after a business executive who lent the incoming prime minister his lavish £9.5 million home was offered a job in Johnson's new administration.

Andrew Griffith has stepped down from his role as the chief financial officer of the broadcasting giant Sky to work as a "corporate adviser" to Johnson.

According to a Guardian report, Johnson and his campaign team were handed Griffith's lavish Westminster property for the past few weeks as Johnson fought Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt in the Conservative leadership contest.

Labour's shadow cabinet office minister, Jon Trickett, said in a statement on Tuesday: "Before he is even appointed Prime Minister, one of Boris Johnson's first acts is to dish out a powerful job in Number 10 to his super-rich pal who lent him his luxurious house in Westminster for the Tory leadership campaign.

"The public would be forgiven for coming to the conclusion that Johnson's friends can buy influence within the new administration.

"It's blindingly obvious — Boris Johnson and his government will act only in the interest of the wealthy elite."

Johnson had worked from the flat belonging to his partner, Carrie Symonds, in Camberwell, south London. But the pair were forced to move out after the police were called to the property following a row, drawing protests outside.

The couple have been living in Oxfordshire, but Johnson's sizeable campaign team apparently needed a property near Westminster from which it could operate.

Griffith is a former Conservative election candidate who worked at Sky for 20 years.

CEO Jeremy Darroch told Sky News: "Over the course of his 20 years at Sky and since 2008 as a member of the Board as CFO (chief financial officer) and then as chief operating officer, Andrew has played a fundamental role in many of our proudest collective achievements."

He added that while Griffith "will be missed, he leaves behind a business that is performing well, has an ambitious set of growth plans and a strong team of colleagues."

Johnson will formally become prime minister on Wednesday after Theresa May travels to Buckingham Palace to offer her resignation. He will then meet with the queen and tell her he is able to form a government.

Afterward he is expected to make a speech on the steps of Downing Street and make key appointments to his Cabinet.

Sajid Javid, Liz Truss, and Matt Hancock are thought to be battling it out to become chancellor. Javid arrived with Johnson at the 1922 Committee meeting of Tory MPs on Tuesday in a sign that he could be the favourite.

Priti Patel, a former international development secretary, is reportedly lined up to be home secretary.

Johnson reportedly offered Hunt the role of defence secretary, but Hunt refused the offer.