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Boris Johnson has declared an advance payment of almost \u00a32.5 million for future speaking engagements. The former PM recorded the sum from the Harry Walker Agency in the latest update to the MPs’ Register of Interests.<\/p>\n
The entry shows that he received \u00a32,488,387.53 from the US-based speaking agency on January 3. It adds: \u201cHours: none to date.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Johnson said that he had consulted the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) – a jobs watchdog for former ministers – about the arrangement.<\/p>\n
Since being forced out of Downing Street last September in the wake of a series of scandals, Mr Johnson has declared millions in speaking fees.<\/p>\n
Last month, he received nearly \u00a3250,000 for a speaking engagement.<\/p>\n
In December, the ex-prime minister recorded more than \u00a3500,000 for three separate speeches.<\/p>\n
He received around \u00a3750,000 in November for three speaking engagements.<\/p>\n
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And Mr Johnson recorded a payment of \u00a3276,000 in October for a speech a month after leaving office.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, it emerged last month that he had received \u00a31 million from a Tory donor in a sign he has no intention of stepping down from politics any time soon.<\/p>\n
The donation to the Office of Boris Johnson Ltd in November was from cryptocurrency investor Christopher Harborne, who helped bankroll the Brexit Party and has also donated to the Conservatives.<\/p>\n
The private limited company established by the ex-PM does not carry out commercial business and solely functions as a private office to support him as a former premier.<\/p>\n
At the time, a source close to Mr Johnson highlighted the distinction between money he directly receives and donations given to his office, including the \u00a31 million from Mr Harborne.<\/p>\n
The source told the BBC: “It is not his money and he doesn’t have access to it.<\/p>\n
It comes as speculation of a comeback by the former premier continues to swirl as the Tories flounder in the polls under Rishi Sunak.<\/p>\n
In his latest intervention last week, Mr Johnson insisted the Tories can win the next general election in an interview with his close ally Nadine Dorries on Talk TV.<\/p>\n
Mr Johnson told the former culture secretary: \u201cLet me be very clear, the fact is that the Conservative Party can certainly win the next election. Yes, absolutely.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’ve got almost two years to go before there has to be an election. You don\u2019t have to have an election until January 2025. So that’s almost two years.<\/p>\n
\u201cHang on a mo. You talk about 1997. I remember\u2026 I fought the 1997 election, I was there and I remember what it was like.<\/p>\n
“It was really, really tough. You would feel this movement of voters, actively who wanted Tony Blair and that is just not happening now. I don’t feel it.<\/p>\n
\u201cOld Sir Crasharooney Snoozefest, the human bollard – Keir Starmer, that is – he thinks that he’s going to get people to vote Labour just by standing there and doing nothing. It’s not going to happen.<\/p>\n
“The economy will start to improve, inflation will come down, people will reward the Conservative party, they will reward the Government for being sensible, for cutting their taxes and for getting things done that they need done.<\/p>\n
\u201cFixing the things that Rishi has said that he’s going to fix and never forget when it comes to it, it’s going to be a very clear choice.<\/p>\n
“Do you want the Conservatives who are going to manage the economy, not put taxes up any further? In fact, cut taxes. Of course the taxation situation has been very, very difficult because of Covid.<\/p>\n
“The huge expense that we had to go to, \u00a3480 billion we had to spend on looking after people during Covid, it was massively expensive. It had a big fiscal impact but Labour, everything they say makes it perfectly obvious that the taxes would be even higher.\u201d<\/p>\n