Leaked files from Boris Johnson's private office reveal the former prime minister earned over £5 million from 34 paid speeches between September 2022 and May 2024. The documents, obtained by Distributed Denial of Secrets and seen by the Guardian, detail his globe-trotting engagements, including appearances in Delhi, Singapore, Lagos, and Abu Dhabi, each earning $350,000 (£259,000).
Some speeches raise potential conflicts of interest. In May 2024, Johnson was paid $250,000 to address Clearlake Capital, a US private equity firm involved in the £2.5 billion purchase of Chelsea FC in 2022, which Johnson's government authorised. He joked about the sale, saying, 'I'm proud to have played a small part in selling Chelsea to you.' A Clearlake source said the events were unconnected.
Johnson also shared controversial views, calling Barack Obama 'the most inert, invertebrate president we've had for a long, long time' and Vladimir Putin 'like the fat boy in Dickens.' He recounted private anecdotes about the late Queen Elizabeth II, including her lobbying for horse transport during Brexit and advice on magpie superstitions. One speech to Centerview Partners earned $405,000.
While paid speeches by former politicians are legal, the size of Johnson's fees and his relaxed attitude to conventions may raise moral questions about monetising time in office. Other former PMs like Tony Blair and Theresa May have also charged large sums, but Johnson's effortless performance style and offhand indiscretions are on full display in the transcripts.
