Prime minister Boris Johnson has missed a deadline to hand over information about his relationship with businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri, the Greater London Assembly has said.
The chair of the GLA’s oversight committee said that the failure to respond for details of his contacts with Ms Arcuri during his time as mayor of London had made a serious situation “grave”.
Len Duvall said the committee will meet next week to decide on the action to be taken against Mr Johnson, who could be summoned to give evidence. Failure to comply with a summons can be met with a prison sentence of up to three months or an unlimited fine.
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Downing Street said that it had delivered its response to the committee’s request by the end of Tuesday. But a spokeswoman for the assembly said the PM had missed the deadline of the end of office hours.
Mr Duvall wrote to the prime minister on 24 September, following allegations in the Sunday Times that Ms Arcuri was given public money and preferential access to mayoral business and missions overseas after forging a friendship with Mr Johnson.
The letter demanded details and a timeline of all professional, social and personal contacts by the then mayor with Ms Arcuri, as well as an explanation of how the alleged relationship was disclosed in dealings with the GLA.
UK news in pictures
Show all 51
2/51 7 October 2019
Final preparations are made in front of a reproduction of Michelangelo’s ‘The Last Judgement’, ahead of the opening of for the ‘Michelangelo: A Different View’ exhibition at Hull Minister
3/51 6 October 2019
A car drives through a flooded street in Whitley Bay in Northumberland
4/51 5 October 2019
Thousands took to the streets of Edinburgh today to march in support of a second Scottish independence referendum
5/51 4 October 2019
A 12ft sculpture of a gorilla, entitled ‘Gorilla Apocalypse’, created by Luke Kite entirely from scrap car bumpers and panels discarded in the last decade is on display at the British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry, Shropshire
6/51 3 October 2019
Police stands in front of the Treasury building during an Extinction Rebellion protest in London
7/51 2 October 2019
Ex-Thomas Cook employees demonstrate in London after delivering a petition calling for a full inquiry into Thomas Cook’s collapse and for the company’s directors to pay back their bonuses
AFP/Getty
8/51 1 October 2019
A road in Alum Rock, Birmingham is flooded after persistent heavy rain
9/51 30 September 2019
Two tourists pose for pictures in front of Union and EU flags outside the Houses of Parliament in London
10/51 29 September 2019
A sheep on London Bridge as Freemen of the City of London took up their historic entitlement to drive sheep over the bridge, which was once London’s only river crossing
11/51 28 September 2019
An Aldabra giant tortoise is fed watermelon as a treat at the Malvern Autumn Show, at the Three Counties Showground near Malvern in Worcestershire
12/51 27 September 2019
Gallery assistants pose with an artwork entitled ‘Devolved Parliament’ by British artist Banksy, during a press view in London ahead of Sotheby’s contemporary art sale, as part of the Frieze Art Fair
AFP/Getty
13/51 26 September 2019
England’s Jonathan Joseph is tackled by United State’s Marcel Brache during their group match at the Rugby World Cup in Japan. England scored seven tries on their way to winning 45-7
14/51 25 September 2019
Tributes for former Rangers player Fernando Ricksen at Ibrox Stadium. Today, the funeral procession will pass Ibrox Stadium before making the journey to Wellington Church
15/51 24 September 2019
A person dressed as a caricature of Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a prison uniform stands outside the Supreme Court after it ruled that his decision to suspend Parliament was illegal
AFP/Getty
16/51 23 September 2019
Thomas Cook aircraft are parked up at Manchester Airport on the day they collapsed after rescue talks failed. A total of 22,000 jobs – including 9,000 in UK – are to be lost following administration. More than 150,000 British holidaymakers need to be brought home, with the government and CAA hiring dozens of charter planes to fly customers home free of charge
17/51 22 September 2019
Fire performer Penella Bee performs before people take part in the North East Skinny Dip at Druridge Bay in Nothumberland, an annual event that marks the Autumn Equinox and raises money for MIND – the Mental Health Charity
18/51 21 September 2019
Protesters gather for a march and rally organised by “The People’s Vote” in Brighton, to call for politicians to give the public a final say referendum on Brexit
AFP/Getty
19/51 20 September 2019
Protesters in London joined millions across world to demand urgent action to save planet in the largest environmental protest in history
Angela Christofilou/The Independent
20/51 19 September 2019
Rapper Dave poses with the Mercury Prize: Albums of the Year Award at Apollo
21/51 18 September 2019
A surfer in action during sunrise at Tynemouth on the north east coast
22/51 17 September 2019
Protesters dressed as the Incredible Hulk and Robocop outside the Supreme Court in London where judges are due to consider legal challenges to Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend Parliament. The Supreme Court will hear appeals over three days from two separate challenges to the prorogation of Parliament brought in England and Scotland
23/51 16 September 2019
Farmer Tom Hoggard harvests pumpkins at Howe Bridge Farm in Yorkshire, ahead of Halloween
24/51 15 September 2019
Team Europe celebrate winning the Solheim Cup at Gleneagles in Auchterarder, Scotland. Europe won the last three singles matches to claim victory 14½-13½
Sunset at St Mary’s Lighthouse in Whitley Bay
26/51 13 September 2019
Activists from PETA stage a demonstration outside a venue during London Fashion Week in London, Britain
27/51 12 September 2019
Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne attempts to stop a boundary in the fifth Test
Action Images via Reuters
28/51 11 September 2019
Storm clouds gather over the pier just off the North East coast at South Shields
29/51 10 September 2019
The peloton rides past the Angel of the North during stage four of the Tour of Britain from Gateshead to Kendal
30/51 9 September 2019
A penny farthing cyclist rides past St. John’s, Smith Square, Westminster, London
31/51 8 September 2019
Australia celebrate the wicket of England’s Craig Overton, which meant they won the fourth test and retained the Ashes
Action Images via Reuters
32/51 7 September 2019
Manchester City celebrate after Caroline Weir scored during their Women’s Super League match against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. The WSL attendance record was smashed with 31,213 people watching the first Manchester derby of Women’s Super League era – nearly six times the previous WSL record
33/51 6 September 2019
A bull bumps into a plain clothes police officer (left) while being walked by Prime Minister Boris Johnson during his visit to Darnford Farm in Banchory near Aberdeen. It coincided with the publication of Lord Bew’s review and an announcement of extra funding for Scottish farmers
34/51 5 September 2019
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon cuts the hair of David Torrance MSP raising £1000 for the charity Maggie’s Centre in Kirkcaldy at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh
35/51 4 September 2019
Australia’s David Warner looks dejected after being dismissed by England’s Stuart Broad during day one of the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford in Manchester
36/51 3 September 2019
Anti Brexit demonstrators attend a protest at Parliament Square. Lawmakers returned from their summer recess Tuesday for a pivotal day in British politics as they challenged Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s insistence that the UK leave the European Union on 31 October, even without a withdrawal agreement to cushion the economic blow
37/51 2 September 2019
Set building begins on Waterloo Place in Edinburgh ahead of filming for Fast and Furious 9
38/51 1 September 2019
Members of the Royal Southern Yacht Club and the Island Sailing Club take part during the annual cricket match between the clubs, which takes place on the Bramble Bank sandbank in the middle of the Solent at low tide
Anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate at Whitehall in London
40/51 30 August 2019
One of the iconic ‘Girl with Balloon’ artworks by anonymous street artist Banksy is carried near one of the original locations the artwork appeared at on the Southbank in London
41/51 29 August 2019
The sun rises over the sculpture “The Couple” by artist Sean Henry, at Newbiggin-by-the-sea in Northumberland
42/51 28 August 2019
A person wearing a Boris Johnson ‘head’ digs a grave at the foot of a tombstone during a protest organised by Avaaz and Best for Britain, outside Downing Street in London
43/51 27 August 2019
Nat Lofthouse statue is covered in flags at the University of Bolton Stadium, Bolton
Action Images via Reuters
44/51 26 August 2019
Performers take part in Notting Hill Carnival. Nearly one million people were expected to attend Sunday and Monday’s carnival to celebrate Caribbean culture
AFP/Getty
45/51 25 August 2019
A competitor swims in the World Bog Snorkelling Championships in Llanwryd Wells, Powys
46/51 24 August 2019
People flock to Bournemouth beach as a heatwave spells potentially record high temperatures for the bank holiday weekend
47/51 23 August 2019
Fans of Bury FC deliver a symbolic coffin to the club’s home at Gigg Lane as the continuation of their membership to the football league lies in doubt. The club will lose their membership at midnight if they don’t find a buyer or prove that they have the means to pay off their debts
48/51 22 August 2019
Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn and Shadow DEFRA Secretary Sue Hayman during a visit to Rakefoot Farm, Castlerigg, Keswick where they are highlighting the danger of a No Deal Brexit to sheep farmers
49/51 21 August 2019
Festival goers walk along the towpath of the River Thames as they arrive for the Reading Festival at Richfield Avenue
50/51 20 August 2019
Police officers gather to pay their respects at the scene near Ufton Lane, where Thames Valley Police officer PC Andrew Harper, 28, died on Thursday. Jed Foster, 20, has appeared at Reading Magristrates’ Court where denied any involvement with the murder
51/51 19 August 2019
A fire that broke out at the site of Village Bakery on Coed Aben Road, Wrexham Industrial Estate in Wales
Jord_wxm29/Twitter/PA
2/51 7 October 2019
Final preparations are made in front of a reproduction of Michelangelo’s ‘The Last Judgement’, ahead of the opening of for the ‘Michelangelo: A Different View’ exhibition at Hull Minister
3/51 6 October 2019
A car drives through a flooded street in Whitley Bay in Northumberland
4/51 5 October 2019
Thousands took to the streets of Edinburgh today to march in support of a second Scottish independence referendum
5/51 4 October 2019
A 12ft sculpture of a gorilla, entitled ‘Gorilla Apocalypse’, created by Luke Kite entirely from scrap car bumpers and panels discarded in the last decade is on display at the British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry, Shropshire
6/51 3 October 2019
Police stands in front of the Treasury building during an Extinction Rebellion protest in London
7/51 2 October 2019
Ex-Thomas Cook employees demonstrate in London after delivering a petition calling for a full inquiry into Thomas Cook’s collapse and for the company’s directors to pay back their bonuses
AFP/Getty
8/51 1 October 2019
A road in Alum Rock, Birmingham is flooded after persistent heavy rain
9/51 30 September 2019
Two tourists pose for pictures in front of Union and EU flags outside the Houses of Parliament in London
10/51 29 September 2019
A sheep on London Bridge as Freemen of the City of London took up their historic entitlement to drive sheep over the bridge, which was once London’s only river crossing
11/51 28 September 2019
An Aldabra giant tortoise is fed watermelon as a treat at the Malvern Autumn Show, at the Three Counties Showground near Malvern in Worcestershire
12/51 27 September 2019
Gallery assistants pose with an artwork entitled ‘Devolved Parliament’ by British artist Banksy, during a press view in London ahead of Sotheby’s contemporary art sale, as part of the Frieze Art Fair
AFP/Getty
13/51 26 September 2019
England’s Jonathan Joseph is tackled by United State’s Marcel Brache during their group match at the Rugby World Cup in Japan. England scored seven tries on their way to winning 45-7
14/51 25 September 2019
Tributes for former Rangers player Fernando Ricksen at Ibrox Stadium. Today, the funeral procession will pass Ibrox Stadium before making the journey to Wellington Church
15/51 24 September 2019
A person dressed as a caricature of Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a prison uniform stands outside the Supreme Court after it ruled that his decision to suspend Parliament was illegal
AFP/Getty
16/51 23 September 2019
Thomas Cook aircraft are parked up at Manchester Airport on the day they collapsed after rescue talks failed. A total of 22,000 jobs – including 9,000 in UK – are to be lost following administration. More than 150,000 British holidaymakers need to be brought home, with the government and CAA hiring dozens of charter planes to fly customers home free of charge
17/51 22 September 2019
Fire performer Penella Bee performs before people take part in the North East Skinny Dip at Druridge Bay in Nothumberland, an annual event that marks the Autumn Equinox and raises money for MIND – the Mental Health Charity
18/51 21 September 2019
Protesters gather for a march and rally organised by “The People’s Vote” in Brighton, to call for politicians to give the public a final say referendum on Brexit
AFP/Getty
19/51 20 September 2019
Protesters in London joined millions across world to demand urgent action to save planet in the largest environmental protest in history
Angela Christofilou/The Independent
20/51 19 September 2019
Rapper Dave poses with the Mercury Prize: Albums of the Year Award at Apollo
21/51 18 September 2019
A surfer in action during sunrise at Tynemouth on the north east coast
22/51 17 September 2019
Protesters dressed as the Incredible Hulk and Robocop outside the Supreme Court in London where judges are due to consider legal challenges to Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend Parliament. The Supreme Court will hear appeals over three days from two separate challenges to the prorogation of Parliament brought in England and Scotland
23/51 16 September 2019
Farmer Tom Hoggard harvests pumpkins at Howe Bridge Farm in Yorkshire, ahead of Halloween
24/51 15 September 2019
Team Europe celebrate winning the Solheim Cup at Gleneagles in Auchterarder, Scotland. Europe won the last three singles matches to claim victory 14½-13½
Sunset at St Mary’s Lighthouse in Whitley Bay
26/51 13 September 2019
Activists from PETA stage a demonstration outside a venue during London Fashion Week in London, Britain
27/51 12 September 2019
Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne attempts to stop a boundary in the fifth Test
Action Images via Reuters
28/51 11 September 2019
Storm clouds gather over the pier just off the North East coast at South Shields
29/51 10 September 2019
The peloton rides past the Angel of the North during stage four of the Tour of Britain from Gateshead to Kendal
30/51 9 September 2019
A penny farthing cyclist rides past St. John’s, Smith Square, Westminster, London
31/51 8 September 2019
Australia celebrate the wicket of England’s Craig Overton, which meant they won the fourth test and retained the Ashes
Action Images via Reuters
32/51 7 September 2019
Manchester City celebrate after Caroline Weir scored during their Women’s Super League match against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. The WSL attendance record was smashed with 31,213 people watching the first Manchester derby of Women’s Super League era – nearly six times the previous WSL record
33/51 6 September 2019
A bull bumps into a plain clothes police officer (left) while being walked by Prime Minister Boris Johnson during his visit to Darnford Farm in Banchory near Aberdeen. It coincided with the publication of Lord Bew’s review and an announcement of extra funding for Scottish farmers
34/51 5 September 2019
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon cuts the hair of David Torrance MSP raising £1000 for the charity Maggie’s Centre in Kirkcaldy at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh
35/51 4 September 2019
Australia’s David Warner looks dejected after being dismissed by England’s Stuart Broad during day one of the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford in Manchester
36/51 3 September 2019
Anti Brexit demonstrators attend a protest at Parliament Square. Lawmakers returned from their summer recess Tuesday for a pivotal day in British politics as they challenged Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s insistence that the UK leave the European Union on 31 October, even without a withdrawal agreement to cushion the economic blow
37/51 2 September 2019
Set building begins on Waterloo Place in Edinburgh ahead of filming for Fast and Furious 9
38/51 1 September 2019
Members of the Royal Southern Yacht Club and the Island Sailing Club take part during the annual cricket match between the clubs, which takes place on the Bramble Bank sandbank in the middle of the Solent at low tide
Anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate at Whitehall in London
40/51 30 August 2019
One of the iconic ‘Girl with Balloon’ artworks by anonymous street artist Banksy is carried near one of the original locations the artwork appeared at on the Southbank in London
41/51 29 August 2019
The sun rises over the sculpture “The Couple” by artist Sean Henry, at Newbiggin-by-the-sea in Northumberland
42/51 28 August 2019
A person wearing a Boris Johnson ‘head’ digs a grave at the foot of a tombstone during a protest organised by Avaaz and Best for Britain, outside Downing Street in London
43/51 27 August 2019
Nat Lofthouse statue is covered in flags at the University of Bolton Stadium, Bolton
Action Images via Reuters
44/51 26 August 2019
Performers take part in Notting Hill Carnival. Nearly one million people were expected to attend Sunday and Monday’s carnival to celebrate Caribbean culture
AFP/Getty
45/51 25 August 2019
A competitor swims in the World Bog Snorkelling Championships in Llanwryd Wells, Powys
46/51 24 August 2019
People flock to Bournemouth beach as a heatwave spells potentially record high temperatures for the bank holiday weekend
47/51 23 August 2019
Fans of Bury FC deliver a symbolic coffin to the club’s home at Gigg Lane as the continuation of their membership to the football league lies in doubt. The club will lose their membership at midnight if they don’t find a buyer or prove that they have the means to pay off their debts
48/51 22 August 2019
Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn and Shadow DEFRA Secretary Sue Hayman during a visit to Rakefoot Farm, Castlerigg, Keswick where they are highlighting the danger of a No Deal Brexit to sheep farmers
49/51 21 August 2019
Festival goers walk along the towpath of the River Thames as they arrive for the Reading Festival at Richfield Avenue
50/51 20 August 2019
Police officers gather to pay their respects at the scene near Ufton Lane, where Thames Valley Police officer PC Andrew Harper, 28, died on Thursday. Jed Foster, 20, has appeared at Reading Magristrates’ Court where denied any involvement with the murder
51/51 19 August 2019
A fire that broke out at the site of Village Bakery on Coed Aben Road, Wrexham Industrial Estate in Wales
Jord_wxm29/Twitter/PA
The PM has said that he made no declaration of interest at the time because there was “no interest to declare”. Neither he nor Ms Arcuri have responded to claims that she told friends at the time that they were in an intimate relationship.
Speaking after the 6pm deadline passed, Mr Duvall said: “It is very disappointing that we have not received a response from the prime minister. Missing the deadline of a polite request to fully cooperate is unhelpful and this already serious situation has now become grave. The allegations of potential misuse of taxpayers’ money are no laughing matter. We will be taking this further.
Read more
“There are now a range of options available to us. Next week, the Oversight Committee will meet to discuss those options and decide on its next course of action.
“You can be assured that the London Assembly will investigate this matter with absolute commitment.”
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A Downing Street source said that Mr Duvall’s letter had been delivered late and that the deadline should therefore be Wednesday, but its response was still submitted shortly after the deadline.
The letter was sent by email to an incorrect address, said the source. But the GLA said that, as well as the address at No 10, it was also sent to Mr Johnson’s constituency office, from which a notice of receipt had been sent.
The GLA’s monitoring officer has already reported Mr Johnson to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) for possible investigation over misconduct in public office.
The reference to the IOPC said that Ms Arcuri’s company Innotech received £11,500 from the mayor’s promotional agency London & Partners for two events in 2013 and 2014. It added that Ms Arcuri was able in November 2014 to attend a trade mission to Singapore and Malaysia through another company called Playbox, even though an initial application through Innotech had been declined.
And it said she was allowed to participate in events around trade missions to New York and Israel in 2015, even though she had not qualified for the New York mission and had been rejected for the mission to Israel.
