Boris Johnson living rent-free in £2.3m Cotswolds home while he and Carrie house hunt

This is the luxury Cotswolds home where Boris Johnson and his wife have been staying rent-free while they house hunt for mansions nearby.

The ex-Prime Minister – who has been trousering millions from speaking engagements – has been given free use of the house by billionaire pals, Lord and Lady Bamford.

The arrangement has been in place since Mr Johnson, 58, left Downing Street in September.

JCB tycoon Lord Bamford is a major Tory donor. And Lady Bamford has also given Mr Johnson use of another property, reportedly in London.

The MP and Carrie, 34, have a home in the capital – but it is up for sale.

Their lodgings in Gloucestershire – 70 miles from Mr Johnson’s constituents in Uxbridge – includes a large open-plan kitchen diner, a formal dining room, spacious office and four bedrooms.

Worth an estimated £2.3million, it was built in 2015 with permission to be used as a worker’s cottage on the Bamfords’ Daylesford Estate.

Locals claim there has been a regular police presence at the property entrance in recent months. Like all ex-PMs, Mr Johnson has round-the-clock security.

And Carrie has shared Instagram photos of her taking a class at Daylesford’s Cookery School.

One local said: “Everybody knows they have been staying on the Daylesford Estate but nobody was sure where. I guess the extra security is a bit of a giveaway though.”

Four-bed detached houses nearby sell for around £2.25million.

The Johnsons are reported to be house hunting in the region and recently viewed a £4million, nine-bed Georgian manor house with a tennis court.

The well-heeled area already has famous residents including fellow ex-PM David Cameron, TV’s Jeremy Clarkson and musician-turned-foodie Alex James.

Mr Johnson has repeatedly insisted he will stand again in Uxbridgde and West Ruislip at the next general election.

His majority dipped from 10,695 in 2015 to 7,210 in 2019, fuelling claims he could launch a “chicken run” for a safe seat.

A spokesman for Boris Johnson said: “We never comment on private matters such as living ­arrangements.”