Boris Johnson spends taxpayers’ money on photoshoot of his dog Dilyn playing in the snow 

Boris Johnson has been accused of using taxpayer money to fund a vanity project after Downing Street released images of an Instagram-style photoshoot of his dog playing in the snow.

A series of professionally staged photos showing Dilyn frolicking in No10’s backgarden were released via the government’s official Flickr page earlier today.

The pictures are credited to a taxpayer-funded photographer Pippa Fowles.

She is one of three vanity photographers on staff in Downing Street, and is understood to be working in Number 10 on secondment from the Ministry of Defence since January 2020.

Another of the photographers, who started full-time last week, released a candid shot he had taken of Larry the cat, Downing Street’s chief mouser, on a bookcase below a portrait of The Queen.

The photoshoots have raised questions about the work of No10’s press operation. 

Asked whether photographers should be taking pictures of Dilyn and Larry the cat, a spokesperson for the government said: ‘These photographers document the work of the government as well as the work inside Number 10.

‘We make these photos available for editorial use not just domestically but internationally as well.’

When it was pointed out that a press photographer could do the job instead, the spokesperson referred to his previous answer.

Asked whether pictures of Dilyn count as documenting the work of government, they added that they took photos ‘not just of the PM but the whole of the Cabinet’. 

While the quality of the snaps is not in doubt, her role comes despite the Mr Johnson already employing a personal photographer, Andrew Parsons, as his Special Advisor part-time on the equivalent of £100,000 a year.

Mr Parsons was previously employed by David Cameron while opposition leader and then on a short-term contract after he became Prime Minister.

He however lost his cabinet desk and was moved onto Conservative Party payroll after Mr Cameron bowed to intense criticism about the appointment.

Mr Parsons provided photographs for Boris Johnson during the 2019 election, for which his company was paid £45,000. He has since been put back on the public payroll by Mr Johnson.

Ms Fowles meanwhile has already been taking photos of several Downing Street press conferences and has accompanied the PM to vaccination centres and schools. 

She also takes photos for other government work, though an online profile for her suggested she is an ‘MOD photographer for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’.

A third promotional staffer, Simon Dawson, also began work last week on a salary of up to £60,635 a year.

It is understood he will work to help both Downing Street and the wider government ‘visually’, and has already taken photos of a No10 press briefing.

Has already gone to work with Matt Hancock, showing the Health Secretary taking an active role in a meeting at the Department of Health before a Parliamentary announcement.

A further picture, taken by him, was published today of Larry, the Number 10 cat sitting on a sideboard beneath a picture of the Queen. 

Mr Johnson is not the only one to have invested in in-house photography, with Rishi Sunak famed for using staged and supposedly candid snaps to improve his image.

The Chancellor, dubbed ‘Dishy Rishi’ for his good looks, was seen striking a series of poses while looking through his Winter Economy Plan, from gazing out of the window deep in thought to leaning on a door frame to flick through his phone.

The gallery of images was released by the Treasury as part of a publicity drive to mark the unveiling of the plan in September, which included a scheme to top up the pay of people who can only work part-time in ‘viable jobs’. 

Mr Sunak, at a reported 5ft 6in, is known for cultivating his brand under the guidance of his adviser, the former TV presenter Allegra Stratton, including by marking Treasury media releases with his personal signature.

The increased use of employed photographers has not gone unnoticed, and the Prime Minister has also faced accusations from independent photographers of being excluded from event organised by No10. 

Four bodies, including the UK Picture Editors’ Guild and the News Media Association have both complained about losing out on access.

Last year no independent photographers were allowed to witness Johnson signing the EU withdrawal agreement, or the moment the UK left the EU on 31 January.

Usually such events are covered by two rota photographers from regional or national newspapers or newswires. But the only images from Downing Street were taken by Mr Parsons. 

Alan Sparrow, the guild’s chairman, told The Guardian: ‘If the prime minister was to visit Saudi Arabia, or the Falklands, or go to Yorkshire after the floods, will we just be issued with pictures after the event?

‘Pictures selected to present the government in the best possible light, not candid or journalistic. They’re just handout pictures, a bit like North Korea and the pictures issued by their leaders.’

A Government spokesperson said: ‘We have recruited a photographer to capture and share the Government’s work, including on vaccinations and the wider fight against Coronavirus.

‘As detailed in the public job advert, the chief photographer role is a cross-government resource.

‘Social media and digital engagement are critical communications tools, and the position will also play a leading role in supporting departmental digital communications activity.’