Boris Johnson Found in Breach of Public Office Rules by Ethics Watchdog

Ethics Watchdog Cites Breach of Public Office Rules

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been found in breach of rules designed to prevent the abuse of contacts and access gained in public office, according to a finding by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba), the UK's ethics watchdog. The committee's chair, Isabel Doverty, reported the breach after Mr. Johnson declined to answer specific questions regarding allegations of his conduct since leaving office. The finding was made public on October 10, 2025.

Allegations of Lobbying and Lack of Cooperation

The Acoba investigation was prompted by revelations in 'The Boris Files,' a collection of leaked documents published by The Guardian. These documents suggested that Mr. Johnson had engaged in activities that exploited relationships cultivated during his time in Downing Street for personal financial gain. Specifically, allegations included:

• Secretly lobbying the United Arab Emirates for a billion-dollar private venture.
• Using senior contacts within the Saudi government, whom he had met as Prime Minister, to pitch the services of a consultancy firm.

When confronted by Acoba, Mr. Johnson refused to provide specific answers or factual denials to these allegations. He asserted that the stories were 'based on material illegally hacked by a hostile state actor' and contained 'false or misleading' assertions, while maintaining that Acoba rules had been followed at all times. Ms. Doverty concluded that Mr. Johnson's 'lack of cooperation' and 'failure to deny the allegations' constituted a breach of government rules, which she reported to the Cabinet Office.

Pattern of Previous Breaches

This is not the first instance where Mr. Johnson has been cited for breaching post-public office rules. Acoba has previously highlighted other violations:

• Daily Mail Columnist Role (June 2023): Acoba, then chaired by Lord Pickles, found a 'clear and unambiguous breach' when Mr. Johnson announced his role as a Daily Mail columnist just 30 minutes after submitting his application for advice. Rules stipulate that former ministers must seek advice from Acoba before announcing or taking up new appointments.
• Venezuela Meeting (February 2024): Mr. Johnson was found to have breached rules by being 'evasive' about his relationship with Merlyn Advisors, a hedge fund, concerning a meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Despite Mr. Johnson's claims that the meeting was unpaid, leaked documents suggested a payment of £240,000 from Merlyn Advisors.

The Business Appointment Rules require former ministers to seek advice from Acoba for two years after leaving office before taking up new employment or appointments, to prevent the misuse of privileged information or contacts. Acoba's role is advisory, with no power to impose sanctions, only to report breaches to the government.