Britain’s Prime Minister denies plans for a government mansion wedding

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie are no longer planning to host a wedding reception at his government mansion, Downing Street sources said on Friday after a storm of criticism over the plan.

Johnson announced his resignation as leader of the Conservative Party on Thursday. However, it will only come into force when the party elects a successor in the coming months.

He was accused of extending his term in part because he and Carrie had already sent out invitations to their belated July 30 wedding reception at Checkers, the Prime Minister’s country home.

“Holding on to one last party,” blared the left-wing Daily Mirror on Friday, a reference also to the scandal surrounding parties that broke lockdown and helped bring down Johnson.

But Downing Street sources said reports were wrong and another location was being sought.

In any case, private expenditure by the Johnsons at Checkers would not be billed to the taxpayer, it said.

The couple married in a private ceremony in London in May 2021. They were only allowed to have 30 guests to a Downing Street garden party afterwards due to Covid restrictions.

Critics have said Johnson used the 16th-century country house in his resignation speech outside 10 Downing Street.

Carrie, carrying her baby daughter Romy, stood nearby with staff and Johnson’s remaining cabinet supporters as he delivered the six-minute speech.

James Cleverly, Johnson’s third education secretary within a week of a cabinet revolt, said a new prime minister should grant him the use of checkers if evicted before the wedding ceremony.

“I think if that has happened by this point, I suspect it would be quite a generous move by the new Prime Minister to allow that to happen,” Cleverly told BBC radio.

“I find it rude to be negative about two people who want to celebrate their marriage and their love for each other,” he said.