No Such Thing As A Free Lunch?

A row has erupted over Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, funding his attendance at the Tory Party Conference last year out of taxpayers' money. It is reported that the London Mayor spent almost £2000 on accommodation for himself and a small group of advisers at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Birmingham. Regulations state the mayor may not use Greater London Authority money for party political purposes. Mr Johnson said he did not believe the conference fell into that category. He also stated he would pay the money back if he has broken official rules. The Taxpayer's Alliance claimed the mayor's trips to the conference were clearly in his own interest and that of the Conservative party and were not proper use of taxpayers' money. Who said there was no such thing as a free lunch?