Jennifer Arcuri, the former model at the center of several inquiries into Boris Johnson, has called the allegations against the prime minister “an orchestrated attack”.
The prime minister is accused of granting thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money to the tech entrepreneur and giving her priviliged access to overseas trade missions while he was serving as mayor of London.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Ms Arcuri said she was being used as “collateral” and condemned the claims as “false”.
She said she had “every right” to go on three overseas trade missions with Mr Johnson, who she had reportedly described as “one of her best friends”.
“This is an orchestrated attack on me, absolutely. Someone has gone to great lengths to put together a massive attack and I stand by the legitimacy of my business.
“I am in fact a legitimate businesswoman.”
She did not deny claims she had an extramarital affair with Mr Johnson.
Ms Arcuri was said to be close with the prime minister between 2012 and 2015 and he visited her Shoreditch flat “several times”, according to a report in The Telegraph.
He was reportedly visiting for private “technology lessons”.
It is also alleged Ms Arcuri was given a total of £ 126, 000 in public money and that her fledgling company received £ 10, 000 in sponsorship from an organization Mr Johnson was responsible for as London mayor in 2013.
Mr Johnson has repeatedly avoided questions on whether he had a sexual relationship with the former model.
In an interview with Sky News, he stopped short of addressing accusations about his relationship with Ms Arcuri, saying “everything was done with complete propriety and in the normal way”.
“We did a huge amount of work while I was mayor of London selling our fantastic city around the world, beating the drum for London and the UK,” he said.
“I’m very proud of what we did.”
Ms Arcuri said all grants and places on trade missions were fairly awarded.
Sh e told the Mail: “One of the things I’ve been surprised with is how much support there has been for me, despite these allegations, because women see through these attacks and they know the narrative.”
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