Samantha Cameron throws her support behind Carrie Symonds in Downing Street flat makeover row 

As the wife of a former PM, she’s all too familiar with life at Downing Street. 

So it may not be surprising that Samantha Cameron has leapt to the defence of Boris Johnson’s fiancee Carrie Symonds.

She spoke to the Mail amid the furore surrounding claims that Miss Symonds splurged thousands of ‘donated’ funds on a Downing Street flat makeover.

The No 11 flat went through a £30,000 makeover by the Camerons themselves in 2011. (Samantha Cameron, right, speaks to Michelle Obama)

Carrie Symonds, pictured, is said to have splurged thousands of ‘donated’ funds on a Downing Street flat makeover.

As part of a full interview published today, Mrs Cameron – whose husband David was in office from 2010 to 2016 – said: ‘I don’t like the way women get instantly blamed in that kind of Lady Macbeth way in these situations. 

‘Whether I’m right or wrong, I’m always biased and I always will defend the woman.’

The No 11 flat went through a £30,000 makeover by the Camerons themselves in 2011. 

Officials said no taxpayer cash was spent on furniture or fittings, but went instead on electrical works, plumbing, decorating and structural alterations. 

In a wide ranging interview, Mrs Cameron was less keen to discuss her husband’s embroilment in the Greensill scandal, however.

He stands accused of abusing his contacts in government to seek support for the now-bust finance firm, in the hope of a big personal profit. 

But Mrs Cameron did talk about the effect lockdown had on the family – saying her husband’s love of cooking ensured they ‘ate like gods’ during their confinement at their second home in Oxfordshire.

The 50-year-old also revealed how she suffered ‘sleepless nights’ over her fashion label, Cefinn, which had been losing money even before Covid struck.

‘It’s been very tough and like most people we weren’t prepared,’ she said.