The Daily Mail did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
After Downing Street named Johnson's former chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, as the source of leaks about the prime minister, Cummings hit back on Friday, denying he was the source and casting Johnson as incompetent and lacking in integrity.
Cummings, architect of the Brexit campaign for Britain to leave the EU, left Johnson's staff suddenly late last year having previously been his most influential adviser over Brexit and a 2019 election campaign.
Cummings said Johnson's plans to have donors secretly pay for the renovation of his Downing Street plan were “unethical, foolish, possibly illegal and almost certainly broke the rules on proper disclosure of political donations”.
Asked about the refurbishment plans in March, Johnson's spokesperson said all donations, gifts and benefits were properly declared and no party funds were being used to pay for the upgrades.
Reuters