‘First girlfriend’ moves into U.K. prime minister's official residence

The Agence France-Presse (AFP) and other news agencies reported that the newly appointed U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his girlfriend Carrie Symonds moved into the official residence of the prime minister on Monday (local time). This is the first time in British history that a prime minister and unmarried partner reside in the residence.

“The PM is officially moving in today and, yes, his partner will be living there," a Downing Street spokeswoman said. “There won't be any additional cost to the taxpayer."

The new prime minister is reported to reside in No. 11 Downing Street, which is the U.K. chancellor’s office, rather than No. 10 that is known to be a prime minister’s residence. The apartment above No. 11 offers a larger space with four bedrooms. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair with four children was the first to make the decision to take No. 11, followed by David Cameron and Theresa May. Chancellor Sajid Javid, the cabinet’s second-in-command, will take No. 11, according to AFP.

Symonds, whom then-London Mayor Johnson first met in 2011, helped the new prime minister with his re-election camp for the city’s mayor position in the following year. She was the youngest spokeswoman of the Conservative Party in 2017 and is currently working at an environmental protection organization. CNN reported that Symonds played an important role in the recent prime minister election by smartening up his unkempt hair and advising him on election strategy.


oldsport@donga.com