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1997. A desperate government clings to power; a hungry opposition will do anything to win. And journalist Gil Peck watches from the sidelines, a respected commentator on the sport of power politics. He thinks he knows how things work. He thinks he knows the rules. But when Gil's estranged sister Clare dies in a hit-and-run, he begins to believe it was no accident. Clare knew some of the most sensitive secrets in government. One of them might have got her killed.

As election day approaches, Gil follows the story into the dark web of interests that link politics, finance and the media. And the deeper he goes, the more he realises how wrong he has been. Power isn't sport: it's war. And if Gil doesn't stop digging, he might be the next casualty.

I understand that CCHQ (Conservative Campaign Headquarters) made a payment to the Cabinet Office to cover the initial costs of refurbishing the Prime Minister’s home in Downing Street, and the PM is now repaying CCHQ. 

There is an audit trail and Cabinet Secretary Simon Case knows about it. This is presumably why he told MPs today that he would do a report on the propriety of how the decoration and furnishing was funded.

Downing Street says to me that the PM has now paid for the costs of the refurbishment. But there was a loan to him from the Tory party. And I assume that loan will now have to be declared by him. 

Readers can decide whether it was appropriate for his party to give him this kind of financial help.

PS I assume the PM will declare the loan from the Tory party pronto. Because a failure to do so would be a breach of the Ministerial Code. I am less clear on whether there is an analogous disclosure responsibility on the Conservative...

I understand CCHQ (Tory Party) made payment to the Cabinet Office to cover initial costs of refurbishing the prime minister's home in Downing Street, and he is now repaying the party.

There is an audit trail. Cabinet Secretary Simon Case knows about it, which is presumably why he told MPs today that he would do a report on the propriety of how the decoration and furnishing was funded.

Downing Street says to me - again - that the prime minister has now paid for the costs of the refurbishment.

But there was a loan to him from the Tory Party. And I assume that loan will now have to be declared by him. You decide whether it was appropriate for his party to give him this kind of financial help.

PS. I assume the PM will declare the loan from the Tory Party pronto. Because failure to do so would be a breach of the Ministerial Code. I am less clear on whether there is an analogous disclosure responsibility on the Conservative Party, but I assume there is.

There is an incredible amount of hysteria and noise being generated by the conflict between Boris Johnson and his former chief aide, Dominic Cummings. So maybe it is useful for me to share what I know about three big claims:

1) The Prime Minister did say he would rather see 'bodies pile high in their thousands' than order a third lockdown (as reported in the Daily Mail); 2) The cabinet secretary Simon Case still believes Cummings may be the 'Chatty Rat' who leaked details about November's lockdown; 3) the refurbishment of the Prime Minister's flat was originally to be funded by Tory party donors, even though on Friday the Prime Minister said he had been paying for it. 

To be clear, Downing Street has issued a straight denial that the Prime Minister ranted in that extreme way about how there would never be a third lockdown (which, of course, there has been). That said, I am told he shouted it in his study just after he agreed to the second lockdown 'in a...

There is an incredible amount of hysteria and noise being generated by the conflict between Boris Johnson and his former chief aide, Dominic Cummings. So maybe it is useful for me to share what I know about three big claims:

1) the prime minister did say he would rather see "bodies pile high in their thousands" than order a third lockdown (as reported in the Daily Mail);2)  the cabinet secretary Simon Case still believes Cummings may be the "Chatty Rat" who leaked details about November's lockdown (see this morning's Times);3) the refurbishment of the prime minister's flat was originally to be funded by Tory party donors, even though on Friday the prime minister said he had been paying for it.To be clear, Downing Street has issued a straight denial that the prime minister ranted in that extreme way about how there would never be a third lockdown (which of course there has been).That said, I am told he shouted it in his study just after he agreed to the...