BORIS Johnson refused to be drawn on allegations that he abused his powers as mayor of London to help the business of a close, personal friend.
The Prime Minister’s relationship with Jennifer Arcuri, a 34-year-old former model and entrepreneur, is coming under intense scrutiny after the Sunday Times alleged that during Johnson’s stint as mayor of London, he and his office allowed her to take part in trade missions – against the advice of officials. Businesses owned by Arcuri also received more than £100,000 in public funds.
The paper said Johnson was a regular visitor to her flat in Shoreditch, east London, where her living room “apparently featured a chrome dancing pole”.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has already announced that it will investigate one of three grants given to companies set up by Arcuri.
Speaking to journalists accompanying him to a meeting with the UN in New York, Johnson failed to answer six questions about the businesswoman.
He refused to deny claims that he had failed properly to declare his friendship with her at the time she was benefitting from funds and official missions under his control.
He told reporters: “I’m here to talk about what we are doing in the UN and in tackling climate change and ensuring biodiversity and to serving as a bridge between our European and American friends when it comes to the Gulf and many other issues.”
Pressed over whether he should submit himself to an independent inquiry to answer the allegations of abuse of public funds he said: “I’m here, as a I say, to talk about the trip.”
Asked directly whether he was in a sexual relationship with Arcuri at the time she was receiving grants and privileged access, he said: “I’m here exclusively to talk about what we are doing at the UN.”
Jeremy Corbyn said that the allegations referred to the “abuse of power and misuse of public funds before he became prime minister”.
Sadiq Khan, the Labour mayor of London, said last night that he would ask City Hall officials to “look into what processes were followed during that time to ensure that any lessons are learnt for the future”.
The SNP’s Alison Thewliss urged the Tory leader to come clean: “Boris Johnson cannot simply close his eyes and wish this serious issue away. He must come clean over this blatant abuse of power.
“It is unacceptable that the unelected Prime Minister used his position as London mayor to hand out thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money and grant access to official overseas trade missions to a close friend – without disclosing his links and in violation of the code of conduct by which he was bound.”
She said Johnson should not try and “mumble his away out of questioning. He must come clean immediately.”
Arcuri told The Sunday Times: “Any grants received by my companies and any trade mission I joined were purely in respect of my role as a legitimate businesswoman.”
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