Boris Johnson Post-Government Appointments, Multiple Rule Breaches
Summary
ACOBA reported multiple breaches of the Business Appointment Rules by Boris Johnson, former Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. The breaches involve unpaid roles with Better Earth Ltd and paid positions with BIA Advisory and Merlyn Advisors Ltd. The Committee issued breach notifications to both Johnson and the Cabinet Office regarding these appointments made after leaving Crown service.
What changed
ACOBA published advice and correspondence documenting multiple breaches of the Business Appointment Rules by Boris Johnson following his departure from Crown service. The breaches involve appointments including Co-Chair of Better Earth Ltd, work for BIA Advisory, and roles with Merlyn Advisors Ltd. The Committee reported these breaches to the Cabinet Office and issued breach notification letters directly to Mr Johnson.
Former ministers and senior civil servants subject to the Business Appointment Rules should review their post-government employment plans to ensure compliance with the mandatory waiting periods and reporting requirements. The publication of these breaches demonstrates ACOBA's ongoing monitoring and enforcement referral role for business appointment compliance.
What to do next
- Monitor for updates on ACOBA breach findings
- Review Business Appointment Rules compliance requirements for post-government employment
Archived snapshot
Apr 16, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Decision
Johnson, Boris – Prime Minister - ACOBA advice
Advice to the Rt Hon Boris Johnson, former Prime Minister, on business appointments after leaving Crown service.
From: Advisory Committee on Business Appointments Published 9 August 2018 Last updated 10 October 2025
— See all updates Get emails about this page
Documents
Correspondence from ACOBA to the Cabinet Office, breaches of the Rules (Better Earth, BIA Advisory)
PDF, 130 KB, 2 pages
This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email acoba@acoba.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.
Correspondence from ACOBA to the Cabinet Office, breaches of the Rules (Better Earth, BIA Advisory)
HTML
Correspondence to Boris Johnson regarding breaches of the Rules (Better Earth, BIA Advisory)
PDF, 171 KB, 7 pages
This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email acoba@acoba.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.
Correspondence to Boris Johnson regarding breaches of the Rules (Better Earth, BIA Advisory)
HTML
Advice Letter: Boris Johnson, Co-Chair, Better Earth Ltd
PDF, 143 KB, 7 pages
Advice Letter: Boris Johnson, Co-Chair, Better Earth Ltd
HTML
Letter from ACOBA to the Cabinet Office regarding breach of the Rules (Merlyn Advisors Ltd)
PDF, 271 KB, 2 pages
Letter from ACOBA to the Cabinet Office regarding breach of the Rules (Merlyn Advisors Ltd)
HTML
Correspondence from ACOBA to Boris Johnson, breach of the Rules (Merlyn Advisors Ltd)
PDF, 224 KB, 7 pages
Correspondence from ACOBA to Boris Johnson, breach of the Rules (Merlyn Advisors Ltd)
HTML
Advice Letter: Boris Johnson, Presenter and Contributor, GB News
PDF, 133 KB, 4 pages
This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email acoba@acoba.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.
Advice Letter: Boris Johnson, Presenter and Contributor, GB News
HTML
Advice Letter: Boris Johnson, Center for European Policy Analysis
PDF, 148 KB, 5 pages
This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email acoba@acoba.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.
Advice Letter: Boris Johnson, Center for European Policy Analysis
HTML
Correspondence from the Deputy Prime Minister regarding a breach of the Rules
PDF, 76.2 KB, 1 page
Correspondence from the Deputy Prime Minister regarding a breach of the Rules
HTML
Letter from ACOBA to the Cabinet Office regarding breach of the Rules (Daily Mail)
PDF, 269 KB, 2 pages
This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email acoba@acoba.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.
Letter from ACOBA to the Cabinet Office regarding breach of the Rules (Daily Mail)
HTML
Correspondence from ACOBA to Boris Johnson, breach of the Rules (Daily Mail)
PDF, 220 KB, 4 pages
This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email acoba@acoba.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.
Correspondence from ACOBA to Boris Johnson, breach of the Rules (Daily Mail)
HTML
Advice Letter: Boris Johnson, Speaker, Harry Walker Agency LLC
PDF, 131 KB, 3 pages
Advice Letter: Boris Johnson, Speaker, Harry Walker Agency LLC
HTML
ACOBA letter: Boris Johnson, Columnist, The Telegraph
PDF, 210 KB, 4 pages
This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email acoba@acoba.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.
ACOBA advice letter: Boris Johnson, Jeremy Lee Associates
PDF, 234 KB, 4 pages
This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email acoba@acoba.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.
Details
Rt Hon Boris Johnson left his role as Prime Minister in September 2022
Better Earth and BIA Advisory
The Chair of ACOBA wrote to Boris Johnson about breaching the Rules in relation to working with Better Earth and/or BIA Advisory. An accessible version of the correspondence is available here.
ACOBA wrote to the Cabinet Office, as the owner of the Rules - reporting this. An accessible version of the correspondence is available here.
Co-Chair, Better Earth Ltd
Boris Johnson sought the Committee’s advice about taking up an appointment with Better Earth Ltd. The letter containing the Committee’s consideration and the conditions imposed on the appointment was sent in April 2024 and the role was announced in May 2024. An accessible version of the correspondence is available here.
Merlyn Advisors Ltd
The Chair of ACOBA wrote to Boris Johnson about his failure to seek advice in relation to working with Merlyn Advisors Ltd. Read the correspondence between Boris Johnson and ACOBA about the breach here. An accessible version of the correspondence is available here.
ACOBA wrote to the Cabinet Office reporting this breach of the Rules. An accessible version of the correspondence is available here.
Presenter and Contributor, GB News.
Boris Johnson sought the Committee’s advice about taking up an appointment with GB News. The letter containing the Committee’s consideration and the conditions imposed on the appointment was sent in October 2023 and the role was announced later that month. An accessible version of the correspondence is available here.
Member of the International Leadership Council, Center for European Policy Analysis
Boris Johnson sought the Committee’s advice about taking up an appointment with the Center for European Policy Analysis. The letter containing the Committee’s consideration and the conditions imposed on the appointment was sent in October 2023 and the position was announced later that month. An accessible version of the correspondence is available here.
Daily Mail
The Chair of ACOBA wrote to Boris Johnson about his failure to seek advice in relation to joining the Daily Mail as a columnist. Read the correspondence between Boris Johnson and ACOBA about the Daily Mail. An accessible version of the correspondence is available here.
ACOBA wrote to the Cabinet Office reporting this breach of the Rules. An accessible version of the correspondence is available here. The government subsequently responsed to ACOBA regarding this breach of the Rules. An accessible version of the correspondence is available here.
Speaker, Harry Walker Agency LLC
The Rt Hon Boris Johnson sought the Committee’s advice about taking up a role with the Harry Walker Agency. The letter containing the Committee’s consideration and the conditions imposed on the appointment was sent in September 2022; and the appointment was taken up in December 2022. An accessible version of the letter is available here.
The Rt Hon Boris Johnson left his previous role as Foreign Secretary in July 2018.
Columnist, The Telegraph
The Committee wrote to Rt Hon Boris Johnson about his appointment with The Telegraph on 8 August 2018, refusing to give retrospective advice.
Jeremy Lee Associates
Boris Johnson sought the Committee’s advice about taking up an appointment with Jeremy Lee Associates.
The letter containing the Committee’s consideration and the conditions imposed on the appointment was sent in September 2018; and the appointment was taken up in October 2018.
Published 9 August 2018 Last updated 10 October 2025 show all updates
1.
10 October 2025
Correspondence about breaching the Rules added
2.
2 May 2024
Appointment with Better Earth Ltd added
3.
19 April 2024
Correspondence from ACOBA to Boris Johnson about a breach of the Rules and the letter reporting this breach to government added.
4.
27 October 2023
Appointment with GB News added
5.
25 October 2023
Appointment with the Center for European Policy Analysis added
6.
21 September 2023
Correspondence from government regarding breach of the Rules added.
7.
27 June 2023
Correspondence from the Chair of ACOBA to Boris Johnson
8.
7 December 2022
Harry Walker Agency LLC added.
9.
15 October 2018
Appointment with JLA added.
10.
9 August 2018
First published.
Get emails about this page Print this page
Related content
Related changes
Get daily alerts for Uk Advisory Committee On Business Appointments
Daily digest delivered to your inbox.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
Source
About this page
Every important government, regulator, and court update from around the world. One place. Real-time. Free. Our mission
Source document text, dates, docket IDs, and authority are extracted directly from ACOBA.
The summary, classification, recommended actions, deadlines, and penalty information are AI-generated from the original text and may contain errors. Always verify against the source document.
Classification
Who this affects
Taxonomy
Browse Categories
Get alerts for this source
We'll email you when Uk Advisory Committee On Business Appointments publishes new changes.
Subscribed!
Optional. Filters your digest to exactly the updates that matter to you.