In the latest twist in the £800k loan to Boris Johnson the complexities of the relationships between Mr Johnson the PM, Mr Sharp the Chairman of the BBC, Mr Blyth the lender of the money and Mr Simon Case the Cabinet Secretary continues to make the news. Much of the focus seems to be on the issue of the relationship between Mr Johnson and Mr Sharp and whether the latter got his job because of his having some involvement in linking the PM to the loan provider/guarantor.

However there appears to be another interesting element to this story revealed in the BBC’s coverage on line. In the article the BBC report the advice given to Prime Minister Johnson that, “…he could take out the loan – without declaring it – as long as his guarantor Mr Blyth had no “business or personal interests in the UK” beyond his family ties.” Not certain but this would appear to be the advice from the Cabinet Secretary.

Does this mean the Prime Minister would not have to declare a loan or loan guarantee provided by President Putin, or Xi Jin Ping, or Kim Jong Un? Of course they all may have laundered money through London at some point so they might actually be caught! However, if one puts aside the more far fetched group of lenders is there not a prima facie pubic interest case about knowing if the Prime Minister of the country has been provided with a very substantial loan whoever it is from?