Labour reported him to Commons watchdogs over an £800,000 loan allegedly secured with the BBC chairman’s help.

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The former Prime Minister recommended Richard Sharp for the top Beeb job just weeks after Mr Sharp allegedly advised him on securing a loan from a billionaire relative.

The bill was met by Mr Johnson’s distant cousin Sam Blyth — with minsters insisting Mr Sharp had been handed the BBC job only on merit.

The Cabinet Office admits Mr Sharp had been told not to discuss Mr Johnson’s finances again by Cabinet Secretary Simon Case.

But the Sunday Times reported the trio dined at Chequers ahead of Mr Sharp’s appointment to the BBC job in 2021. Mr Sharp claimed he had “simply connected” people.

Mr Johnson’s spokesman said he did not receive financial advice from Mr Sharp.

It came as senior Tories said party chairman Nadhim Zahawi must give more information about his £4.8million tax bill, including a 30 per cent penalty, he paid to HMRC while Chancellor.

Ex-Chief Whip Sir George Young said: “Nadhim is going to have to be more transparent about exactly what happened, otherwise the story simply isn’t going to go away.”

And Tory MP Peter Aldous questioned whether Mr Zahawi should have been appointed Chancellor at a time he or his advisers were negotiating the settlement.

Opposition parties want him fired, while pressure is also growing on PM Rishi Sunak to reveal what he knew.

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