LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s office said Wednesday it was investigating a report claiming that there is an outstanding court order against Johnson over an allegedly unpaid debt.
Private Eye magazine uncovered an October 2020 county court judgment against Johnson for 535 pounds ($755). The court record, which names the debtor as Boris Johnson of 10 Downing St. in London, does not disclose the identity of the creditor.
County court judgments can be issued if someone fails to respond to a court action over an alleged debt, according to a government website. The judgment means the court has formally decided the money is owed. The government site warns that bailiffs can be sent in if the debt is not paid.
Johnson’s finances are already under scrutiny, with election watchdog the Electoral Commission investigating the funding of renovations to the prime minister’s official residence.
Britain’s parliamentary ethics watchdog is also investigating who paid for Johnson’s vacation on the Caribbean island of Mustique just before the coronavirus pandemic.
Johnson’s spokesman, Max Blain, said officials were “looking into” the reported county court judgment.
“I can confirm it is nothing to do with the refurbishment of the Downing Street estate,” he said.
