This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49957957
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Jennifer Arcuri refuses to answer Boris Johnson relationship questions | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A US businesswoman has refused to say whether she had an intimate relationship with Boris Johnson when he was London mayor. | A US businesswoman has refused to say whether she had an intimate relationship with Boris Johnson when he was London mayor. |
| Jennifer Arcuri has been at the centre of a row over whether the now-prime minister failed to declare a conflict of interest over their relationship. | Jennifer Arcuri has been at the centre of a row over whether the now-prime minister failed to declare a conflict of interest over their relationship. |
| She told ITV's Good Morning Britain he spoke at four events she ran, and came to her flat "a handful" of times. | |
| But she denied he recommended her for a top public sector job. | |
| Mr Johnson has said everything was done "entirely in the proper way". | Mr Johnson has said everything was done "entirely in the proper way". |
| The story first emerged in the Sunday Times, with claims technology entrepreneur Ms Arcuri had joined trade missions led by Mr Johnson and received thousands of pounds in public money. | |
| The newspaper claimed she had received favourable treatment due to her friendship with Mr Johnson. | |
| But Ms Arcuri said he "never, ever gave me any favouritism" and "categorically" had "nothing to do with my other achievements". | |
| He was just "a really good friend", she added. | |
| The current London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, has launched an investigation into the allegations at City Hall, and the Greater London Assembly's Oversight Committee has given Mr Johnson 14 days - ending this week - to explain his relationship. | |
| The BBC's political editor, Laura Kuenssberg, said it could be the GLA's code of conduct that really matters in this case - it says public office holders should not act in any way to gain benefits for families or friends, and should declare private interests to resolve any conflicts. | |
| Mr Johnson has also been referred to the police watchdog, who will consider whether there are grounds to investigate the prime minister for the criminal offence of misconduct in public office. | |
| Private life questions | |
| Asked repeatedly on the ITV breakfast programme whether she was having an affair with Mr Johnson when he was mayor, Ms Arcuri refused to answer. | |
| "I am not going to be putting myself in a position for you to weaponise my answer," she said. | |
| She did confirm he had visited her home "five, 10, a handful of times", but added: "It's really not anyone's business what private life we had." | |
| On the issue of trade missions, Ms Arcuri said has access because of the work she was doing - not because of any relationship with Mr Johnson. | |
| "At the end of the day, I was allowed to go on that trade mission as a delegate because of who I was," she said. | |
| Ms Arcuri said she had never discussed any sponsorship or grants with Mr Johnson, and asked if he had helped with any "sponsorship money", she said: "Categorically no. Do you think I would waste his time talking about this stuff?" | |
| She also said Mr Johnson had nothing to do with an additional £100,000 grant awarded to her company by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in January. |