LONDON — The tech entrepreneur accused of having improper links to Boris Johnson when he was the mayor of London refused to confirm or deny whether they had an intimate relationship.
The British prime minister is facing several inquiries over claims he broke a code of conduct by not declaring a relationship with Jennifer Arcuri, who went on three overseas trade missions when he was in charge at City Hall.
The prime minister has previously said there was “no interest to declare” and that everything had been done with “full propriety.”
Asked directly if she had an intimate relationship with the now prime minister, Arcuri repeatedly told ITVs Good Morning Britain today via video link from the U.S.: “I really am not going to answer that question,” adding “how would you like it if you were asked about your sex life? … Im sorry, Im not going to put myself in a position for you to weaponize my answer.”
But she insisted the prime minister “never, ever gave me favoritism.”
“Categorically Boris had nothing to do with my achievements in London,” she said.
Arcuri also claimed she had made up the existence of a letter written by Johnson recommending her for the £100,000-a-year job as chief executive of tech quango Tech City.
In a lengthy first broadcast interview since multiple allegations of impropriety surfaced in the Sunday Times, Arcuri revealed she had saved Johnsons number on her phone as “Alex the Great,” and that they bonded over their “mutual love of classic literature.”
“I care about him deeply as a friend. We shared a very close bond,” she said.
Arcuri joked she had asked Johnson to hRead More – Source
