What is wrong with John Lewis?

I'm sure Frau Merkel is more frugal though.

I thought we were comparing Prime Ministerial residences?

France has a President with all the trappings on top.
The Elysée Palace is hardly shabby.
Not to mention the upkeep of the Summer Palace, including €34,000 for a swimming pool for the Macrons even though it has a private beach
Fort de Brégançon is beautiful, secluded and a perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of Paris. It’s also been a pain in the derrière for French president after French president.

It’s also old and needs a lot of maintenance — according to a 2018 report in Le Point, annual running costs could be as high as €700,000
Mind you, €34,000 seems a bargain considering some of Macron’s other expenditures — including as much as €500,000 replacing the tableware at the Elysée presidential palace

France and Germany don’t have a monarchy with all their trappings on top.

I do not think the French have as compact a political quarter as we do. There are superb public rooms in the Foreign and Commonwealth Building, the Banqueting House in Whitehall, The Houses of Parliament themselves.

The British PM can entertain in as grand a style as any French PM - and I suspect that only a small part of those magnificent official residentces the French and German PM's have are actual used by them. They probably just have a private flat on the third floor.

suziewoozie

There is nothing wrong with John Lewis. On the other hand, there is a great deal wrong with Carrie Antoinette as evidenced firstly by her taste in men.

This matched my exact thoughts. So ditto, ditto.

Aveline

The French Prime Ministers residence. Location in Central Paris.
Surely we can do as well.

I wish I believed you were joking ????

It's fine to campaign for a better house for the PM if it really concerns you however that doesnt distract from the fact that rules with regard to the use of public money are there for a reason and cant just be ignored. If it is democratically decided that Johnson can live in Buckingham palace that's fine, there would still he questions to answer about the spending on the flat.

No 10 may look unprepossessing from the outside but it's not too shabby on the inside, with large rooms for entertaining.
www.businessinsider.com/inside-10-downing-street-2015-11?r=US&IR=T#number-10-also-has-a-well-kept-garden-which-is-often-used-to-host-events-23

Why Aveline, are we competing with France in some way? The ‘flat’ at 11 Downing Street is perfectly adequate, or more than, for a large family.

German Prime Ministers residence. The more I think about it the worse it seems.

Boris's inamorata, is a modern independent woman with a career and a well paid job. Why isn't she making a big financial contribution to the redecoration costs? She lives there with their son.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202104/medium-18456--20210429-190622.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202104/medium-68869--20210429-190648.jpg

The French Prime Ministers residence. Location in Central Paris.
Surely we can do as well.

They have £30,000 of taxpayers money to spend on refurbishment. It is only a small private flat - a pied-a-terre, if you like, for folk that have other homes and the free use of Checkers.

Aveline

Chequers is lovely but it's in the country. The Prime Minister of the UK should have a central London residence that reflects his/her position.
British ambassadors have more prestigious settings in other capital cities that our PM has.
SNP FM just spent £1.5 million doing up Bute House, her official residence. Tax payers money so who cares!

Really? I though that essential repairs had been carried out and that anyway, NS had spent much of lockdown living in her own home to reduce the need for unnecessary contacts with staff etc at BH. Also I’d rather the money was tax payers money then some grubby little party donor’s who’s after a peerage/ contract whatever.

Chequers is lovely but it's in the country. The Prime Minister of the UK should have a central London residence that reflects his/her position.
British ambassadors have more prestigious settings in other capital cities that our PM has.
SNP FM just spent £1.5 million doing up Bute House, her official residence. Tax payers money so who cares!

No 10 has many reception rooms, all grand enough for official entertaining, There are also other suites of very grand rooms in government buildings immediately adjacent in Whitehall.

Other countries do it their way, we do it ours.

Aveline

Our Prime Minister, whoever they are, should have a home that reflects their status. Other Prime Ministers have palatial residences. Ours has a third floor flat above their workplace. I think that's the disgrace not money spent on refurbishment.

Have you seen Chequers?

They do have the use of Chequers as well where they can entertain foreign dignitaries or just relax. It's rather nice

The No 10 or No. 11 flat is just the 'flat above the shop' and probably quite handy for work!

Our Prime Minister, whoever they are, should have a home that reflects their status. Other Prime Ministers have palatial residences. Ours has a third floor flat above their workplace. I think that's the disgrace not money spent on refurbishment.

Sorry Downing St 11

Downing St 10 is hardly likely to be some ones '*forever home* Neither Cameron or May and others throughout the centuries lased that long so why then spend thousands on décor ?.

Blossoming

Carrie Antoinette is a frightful snob who likes to sneer at the common people. There is nothing wrong with John Lewis.

I feel quite snobby about her, actually.

Carrie should be self isolating, as isn’t one of the COVID symptoms loss of taste?

Zoe Williams on the redecoration

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/apr/28/john-lewis-nightmare-boris-johnson-flat-refurbishment

You can’t take wallpaper with you ( or can you?)

What happens to the furniture? Is that left for the next incumbent or are they allowed to take it with them? Then we pay out all over again.
If it stays, who wants an expensive sofa perhaps soaked in red wine and covered in dog hairs?