Boris Johnson's county court judgement is no more

13 May 2021, 15:36 | Updated: 14 May 2021, 15:03

Boris Johnson no longer has a county court judgment against him after Downing Street sought to strike out a claim for a £535 debt for alleged defamation.

The county court judgement, for a debt of £535, was made by a claimant named Yvonne Hobbs against “The Rt Hon Boris Johnson”, with the reasons cited as “defamation” and “committed repeated defamation”.

Downing Street has have insisted the “vexatious” claim was “totally without merit”, with the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson saying at a Westminster briefing: “We are moving at speed to get this removed.”

READ MORE: Top official to review Boris Johnson's Downing Street flat refurbishment

A county court judgement means that a court has formally decided that the person owes the money.

Boris Johnson denies breaking rules over Downing Street flat

The “unsatisfied record” for the unpaid debt was registered to Mr Johnson dated October 26 last year, during a key period concerning questions over the Prime Minister’s controversial refurbishment of his flat in Number 11 Downing Street.

The renovation, which is currently being investigated by the Electoral Commission to ascertain whether any donations were properly declared, reportedly cost up to £200,000.

Downing Street have insisted that it is not linked to the defamation claim, with the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson saying: "I can confirm it is nothing to do with the refurbishment of the Downing Street estate, where all such bills have been duly paid either by the Government or the Prime Minister personally."

However, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told LBC last week that the Prime Minister was “not being straight” over who paid for the refurbishment.