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Jennifer Arcuri has refused to deny she had an affair with Boris Johnson when he was mayor of London, but denied any impropriety.
Appearing on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Ms Arcuri said: “I am really not going to answer that question. I am being used as a pawn. This entire thing is a crazy charade.
“Boris had nothing to do with my achievements.”
The tech entrepreneur and former model was reportedly given £126,000 in public money and privileged access to three foreign trade missions led by Mr Johnson while he was in City Hall.
Mr Johnson has denied any wrongdoing. He has said everything he did when promoting London overseas as mayor was done in “complete conformity with the code and the rules”.
Ms Arcuri told the programme on Monday: “These are insinuations and third party heresy.
“Would you like me to ask about your sex life? I am objectified.”
She went on: “I think we’re forgetting that Boris is extremely personable. It wasn’t like he singled me out. He is there to talk to anybody if they get in his face enough.
“It’s unfortunate a good friend… now I’m dragged into this horrific scandal. The answer is now going to be weaponised against this man.
“Boris never ever gave me favouritism. Never once did he ask for a favour.
“He only knew me as an extremely passionate entrepreneur.”
Ms Arcuri said she first met Mr Johnson after he made a speech in October 2011.
“I turn around,” she recalled, “and there’s this guy with his hair all dishevelled and shirt untucked… he turns the entire room of curmudgeoned men into howling schoolgirls. That’s when I was like: ‘Who is this guy?’”
Ms Arcuri said she had Mr Johnson’s name in her phone book as “Alex the Great.” He spoke at four tech events she hosted.
“I always made sure Boris got a win out of my events. Every event he came to had a strategic advantage to him.”
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