Baroness Scotland today denied claims of “extravagance” amid an outcry over the six-figure makeover she has given her grace-and-favour home.
The Commonwealth secretary-general was hitting back at claims she had spent up to £450,000 of taxpayers’ money refurbishing her official residence in Mayfair.
But she put the maximum cost of the work at £330,000, adding: “We are just getting the final figure now. I can say there are no chandeliers, there are no marble fireplaces — none of those things which are alleged has been spent at all. I said, and I was really clear about this, there had to be no extravagance whatsoever.”
Lady Scotland also said she had received a “wonderful” letter from the Prime Minister, dated October 31, expressing support for her work.
She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I have got a letter from Theresa May herself making absolutely clear she supports what I am doing, what I, Patricia Scotland, am doing as secretary-general of the Commonwealth to reform it, to make sure it works.”
But Downing Street officials say the letter was a response to other correspondence and only showed support for the work of the Commonwealth.
Lady Scotland said the work had been expected to cost “about £260,000 plus the fees plus things that would come up that needed to be done”, with the final cost expected to be “just over £300,000, maybe £330,000”.