Boris ‘arranged for blonde to join him on Israel trade trip’
BORIS Johnson personally arranged for an American entrepreneur alleged to be his mistress to accompany him on an overseas trade trip, it was claimed yesterday.
The Prime Minister asked officials to put Jennifer Arcuri on a visit to Tel Aviv, Israel, in November 2015, when he was mayor of London.
When the former model joined the married Mr Johnson on the five- day trip away from home, City Hall workers were ‘ surprised’ to see her, it was said.
One former member of staff told Sky News yesterday: ‘I turned to the person organising the trip and asked: “What’s she doing here?” Apparently the mayor asked for her to be involved.’
The Prime Minister, 55, has repeatedly dodged questions about Miss Arcuri, 34, including whether they had a sexual relationship. He used to take time out of his days running London to visit her apartment in Shoreditch, east London, which had a nightclub dancing pole, for private ‘technology’ lessons.
Miss Arcuri broke cover on Wednesday to vehemently deny claims of impropriety. She told the Daily Mail she was suffering ‘collateral’ damage and branded the allegations ‘an orchestrated attack’. She said she had ‘every right’ to go on the overseas trade missions with Mr Johnson.
Yesterday the former adviser to Mr Johnson, who wishes to remain anonymous, said they had ‘heard the rumours’ about Mr Johnson and Miss Arcuri, but they were still shocked when she arrived in Tel Aviv for the trip.
‘There was never a mention of her joining,’ the source added. ‘I thought it was very unusual for her to be on this trip because it was so focused on educational technology and that wasn’t her business.’
Miss Arcuri was involved in three international trade trips while Mr Johnson was mayor of London, despite being told not to apply for two of them because her business would not qualify. The Israel trip was one of these two.
Mr Johnson’s former adviser told Sky News they did not realise Miss Arcuri had been on other trips and had never heard of anyone being given such privileged access. Mr Johnson has insisted he had ‘nothing to declare’ and denies falling foul of rules governing the mayor’s office. He faces four inquiries into whether there was a conflict of interest.
The Prime Minister ‘may have committed a criminal offence’ by doing favours for the entrepreneur, according to the Labour-dominated London Assembly, which is investigating allegations that he abused his position ‘to benefit and reward your friend or her companies’.
Downing Street sources have described the inquiries as politically motivated.
Miss Arcuri, whose cyber firms have received £126,000-worth of UK taxpayers grants, says they were all awarded fairly, adding: ‘These allegations are completely false.’
Mr Johnson, who was mayor of London from 2008 to 2016, met Miss Arcuri when she campaigned for his second term. They became so close that he asked her to store his phone number in her mobile under the name ‘Alexander the Great’ – Alexander being his full first name.
Mr Johnson has been given until next week to explain himself, or face being summonsed by assembly members to give evidence.