Downing Street overhaul: Boris Johnson wasting taxpayers’ cash during cost of living crisis

The Liberal Democrats have written to Boris Johnson challenging him to set out the cost of the merger of Number 10 and the Cabinet Office into the new Office of the Prime Minister.   The party has also challenged Johnson to rule out any public money being spent on renovating the Downing Street flat as part of this change, saying “it should be curtains for Johnson - not more curtains for Johnson.”   According to the Institute for Government, the average cost of a departmental merger is £15 million. Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Wendy Chamberlain MP labelled the sums as “staggering”, given the cost of living crisis which is now facing the country.    Wendy Chamberlain MP, Liberal Democrat Chief Whip, commented:   “The law-breaking Downing Street parties demand only one response - that Boris Johnson resigns. It is simply staggering that the only step Boris Johnson is taking is spending potentially millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money on changes to Number 10 and Whitehall departments.   "This will use up vital cash that could be spent on helping households cope with a cost of living crisis.   “It would be reprehensible for Boris Johnson to use this merger as a Trojan horse to fund further refurbishments to his Downing Street flat. It should be curtains for Johnson - not more curtains for Johnson.”