Hugely successful entrepreneur David Ross has found himself unwittingly embroiled in a pseudo-scandal surrounding the Prime Minister鈥檚 luxury winter break.
The long-time Tory donor, and former billionaire founder of Carphone Warehouse, was named on Boris Johnson鈥檚 expenses, as having supplied a 拢15,000 Caribbean Christmas holiday as he vacated Number 10 almost as soon as he鈥檇 won the right to return.
But Mr Ross, who is now a significant education and heritage-focused philanthropist alongside his varied business interests, has said he did not pay for it, despite being named.
He was reported to have gifted the luxury holiday to St Vincent and the Grenadines to Mr Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds.
It was a private holiday, on the island of Mustique where Mr Ross has a sprawling villa with permanent staff, and lasted from December 26 to January 5, and was logged in the House of Commons鈥 official register of members鈥 interests.
But last night the man whose forefathers created the Ross Group fishing empire and Cosalt legacy 鈥 Grimsby鈥檚 last listed-business and a builder of slightly different holiday homes 鈥 went on the record to say he did not pay for the holiday, with a spokesperson suggesting Mr Johnson had made 鈥渁 mistake鈥 in his declaration in the register.
A representative of Mr Ross said: 鈥淏oris Johnson did not stay in David Ross鈥檚 house.
鈥淏oris wanted some help to find somewhere in Mustique, David called the company who run all the villas and somebody had dropped out.
鈥淪o Boris got the use of a villa that was worth 拢15,000, but David Ross did not pay any monies whatsoever for this.鈥
Asked about Mr Johnson鈥檚 declaration, the spokesman told MailOnline: 鈥淚 believe it is a mistake.鈥
The PM will now have to clarify the issue, with observers split on whether it is a simple administrative oversight by one of the busiest men on the planet, or whether it could be masking a more intriguing owner.
There鈥檚 no denying the relationship between the pair, with Mr Ross serving as a representative to Mr Johnson when he was Mayor of London. He sat on the 2012 Olympics legacy committee.
The Mustique property is one of several homes owned by Mr Ross who also has property in Switzerland, London鈥檚 Knightsbridge and his Grade I-listed 13th century mansion in Leicestershire, Nevill Holt which sits in 300 acres of woodland and 1,000 acres, and includes his former primary school and an architecturally-acclaimed opera house.
Educated out of town, he founded Carphone Warehouse with 拢6,000 in savings and school pal Charles Dunstone. Mr Ross went on to become one of Britain鈥檚 richest men, with a personal fortune that hit 拢1 billion in 2015 and remains worth around 拢700 million, having been exposed to some high street gloom through property investment.
His name adorns the Magna Carta exhibition in Lincoln Castle鈥檚 grounds and he is also founder of the David Ross Educational Trust which now runs more than 30 primary and secondary schools launched with Havelock Academy in Grimsby in 2007. He also chairs the David Ross Foundation, supporting local Heart of Your Community Awards through the John Ross MBE Community Fund, the charitable cause set up in his late father鈥檚 memory.
Mr Ross is well known to the blue rosette brigade at Conservative Central Office.
Latest Grimsby reads:
In November he donated 拢250,000 to Mr Johnson鈥檚 general election campaign and previously supported former Tory Prime Minister David Cameron, flying him round the country on occasion in his helicopter.
A spokeswoman for No 10 Downing Street has confirmed the Prime Minister had declared the holiday.
She said: 鈥淎ll transparency requirements have been followed, as set out in the register of members鈥 financial interests.鈥
