Fury as Sky executive who loaned Boris Johnson his £10million London home to use as a leadership campaign headquarters is rewarded with a job as a ‘corporate adviser’ to the new PM
- Andrew Griffith has stepped down as the broadcaster’s chief financial officer
- Mr Johnson and his top team have been holed up in the lavish property recently
- Mr Griffith is a former Tory election candidate who has worked at Sky since 2008
- Labour says appointment shows new leader’s ‘friends can buy influence’
A senior Sky executive who loaned Boris his £10million home just yards from Parliament to use as a campaign base was made a business adviser to the new Tory leader today.
Andrew Griffith has stepped down as chief financial officer to work as a corporate adviser to Mr Johnson, the broadcaster and the Financial Times reported.
Mr Johnson and his top team have been holed up in the lavish property near Millbank in recent weeks as he closed in on the keys to 10 Downing Street.
Shadow Cabinet Office minister Jon Trickett said: ‘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.’
Boris Johnson leaving Andrew Griffith’s townhouse in Westminster this morning. He has been using it as a campaign base in recent weeks with his aides
Andrew Griffith has stepped down as chief financial officer to work as a corporate adviser to Mr Johnson, the broadcaster reported
The elite property is just a few minutes walk from Parliament
Previously Mr Johnson used the flat he shares with partner Carrie Symonds in Camberwell, south London.
But as his team has grown he has needed more space and a base close to Westminster.
Mr Griffith is a former Conservative election candidate who has worked at Sky since for two decades.
Chief executive Jeremy Darroch told Sky News: ‘Over the course of his twenty 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.
‘These include transforming the business from around three million customers in the UK & Ireland to over twenty four million customers across Europe today, our successful entry into new markets such as broadband and mobile and building a business organically to become one of the UK’s most valuable FTSE 100 companies.
‘Whilst Andrew 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.’
Mr Johnson kicked off his team for Number 10 today by drafting in Mark Spencer, a Remainer in the referendum who is little-known outside Westminster but a respected behind-the-scenes operator.
No formal announcements are expected until after he gets the keys to No10, but Sajid Javid, Liz Truss and Matt Hancock are widely thought to be battling it out to become Chancellor.
Mr Javid arrived for the ’22 with Mr Johnson, in what could be a sign he is destined for the Treasury. Leaving afterwards he described Mr Johnson’s speech as ‘barnstorming’.