BORIS JOHNSON used a distant millionaire relative to act as a guarantor for an £800,000 credit facility while he was prime minister, it was reported today.

According to the Sunday Times newspaper, Canadian national Sam Blyth, reportedly worth $50 million (£40m), agreed to the move in February 2021 to help the then-Tory leader meet “day-to-day expenses.”

The mega-rich businessman is thought to be a friend of the former foreign secretary’s father, Stanley Johnson. Their mothers are reportedly cousins.

The newspaper said using Mr Blyth as a guarantor was signed off by the Cabinet Office on the condition that there was “no conflict of interest, no risk of a conflict of interest and no risk even of the perception of such a conflict.”

But, between late 2020 and early 2021, he was allegedly in the running to become chief executive of the British Council — a non-departmental public body.

Mr Blyth was eventually rejected as a candidate.

Mr Johnson’s spokesman denied that he “assisted with, or was even aware of, any application by Sam Blyth to serve in any position whatever,” adding: “All Boris Johnson’s financial interests are and were properly declared.”