Police watchdog clears Johnson over his relationship with businesswoman Arcuri

BORIS JOHNSON will not face a criminal investigation over his dealings with the US businesswoman, Jennifer Arcuri, after the police watchdog concluded there was no case to answer.

The Prime Minister had been accused of offering Ms Arcuri favourable treatment when he was mayor of London, by inviting her on trade missions and providing her companies with public funds.

But the Independent Office for Police Conduct found no evidence that Mr Johnson had used his position to benefit Ms Arcuri and his spokesman last night lashed out at what he said had been “vexatious” and “politically motivated” allegations of misconduct in public office.

But following a nine-month review the IOPC concluded there was no case to answer and a full blown criminal investigation was not required.

It said it had found no evidence that Mr Johnson had used his position to benefit or reward Ms Arcuri or her companies. However the watchdog said there was evidence to suggest the officials who had provided the favourable treatment to Ms Arcuri had been influenced by his close and possibly “intimate” relationship with her.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister said the complaint by the Labour Party had been “politically motivated”.

He added: “Such vexatious claims of impropriety in office were untrue and unfounded. We consider this was a waste of police time.”

Mr Johnson still faces a separate inquiry by the Greater London Assembly into allegations he failed to declare a conflict of interest when he was mayor.

‘Such vexatious claims of impropriety in office were untrue, unfounded and a waste of police time’