Thursday, 28 Nov 2024

Second Boris Johnson affair investigated as part of misconduct probe

An investigation into Boris Johnson’s relationship with a US businesswoman will also look into another affair he failed to declare during his time as London mayor, with a woman who had his child.

The prime minister is accused of misconduct in public office over alleged favours made to entrepreneur Jennifer Arcuri while he was at City Hall.

During this period, Ms Arcuri received £11,500 in sponsorship from the mayor’s promotional agency, London & Partners, and access to trade missions to Tel Aviv and New York, after intervention from the mayor’s office.

Ms Arcuri said she won the funds and access on merit.

Mr Johnson has insisted there was no interest to declare and that he acted with ‘full propriety’.

According to the Guardian, the London Assembly’s oversight committee is investigating Mr Johnson’s links to and Ms Arcuri after she made fresh claims about their relationship in an ITV documentary shown last night.

The Assembly committee said a previous affair for which Mr Johnson avoided censure for in 2010 would make up part of its probe.

It said the prime minister failed to declare interest over his affair with unpaid City Hall adviser Helen Macintyre, who it later emerged gave birth to one of his children.

In 2010, Mr Johnson acknowledged the potential conflict of interest had not been disclosed and vowed to ‘bear in mind the definition of close associate for the future’.

Len Duvall, a Labour assembly member who chairs the committee, told the Guardian: ‘I’m looking at the paperwork into Helen Macintyre.

‘We need to understand that because he was advised to make those declarations in the future.

‘The question is why did he hide the new relationship with Arcuri?’

This morning Ms Arcuri once again refused to declare whether or not she had an affair with the prime minister.

The Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) is currently deciding whether there is enough evidence to mount a criminal investigation against Mr Johnson into allegations of misconduct in public office over the alleged favours to Ms Arcuri.

Mr Duvall’s investigation is on hold until the IOPC makes its decision.

That is not likely to be until after the general election in December.

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