A US businesswoman at the centre of a row over whether Boris Johnson failed to declare a conflict of interest says he never showed her “any favouritism”.
Jennifer Arcuri also refused to say whether the pair had an intimate relationship when he was London mayor.
Ms Arcuri told ITV’s Good Morning Britain that Mr Johnson spoke at events she ran and came to her flat – also her office – “a handful” of times.
The PM denied breaking any rules of conduct, but would not comment further.
He has insisted everything was done “entirely in the proper way”.
But Labour’s shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, said Mr Johnson – who served as mayor between 2008 and 2016 – “had a duty” to declare their friendship.
“Regardless of the exact nature of his relationship with [Ms] Arcuri, it is clear that she and Boris Johnson were close, and that he misled the public when he said there was no interest to declare,” he added.
The code governing conduct at London City Hall states that public office holders should not act in any way to gain benefits for families or friends, and should declare private interests to resolve any conflicts.
But speaking after Ms Arcuri’s interview, Mr Johnson said he had not broken the code, adding: “I think I have said everything I am going to say on that matter.”
The story first emerged in the Sunday Times, with claims technology entrepreneur Ms Arcuri had joined trade missions led by Mr Johnson and received thousands of pounds in public money.
The newspaper claimed she had received favourable treatment due to her friendship with Mr Johnson.
But Ms Arcuri insisted he was just “a really good friend”, and “categorically” had “nothing to do with my other achievements”.
“Boris never, ever gave me favouritism. Never once did I ask him for a favour. Never once did he write a letter of recommendation for me. He didn’t know about my asking to go to trips,” she told ITV.
The current London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, has launched an investigation into the allegations at City Hall, and the Greater London Authority’s Oversight Committee has given Mr Johnson 14 days – ending this week – to explain his relationship.
Mr Johnson has also been referred to the police watchdog, who will consider whether there are grounds to investigate the prime minister for the criminal offence of misconduct in public office.
Asked repeatedly on the ITV breakfast programme whether she was having an affair with Mr Johnson when he was mayor, Ms Arcuri refused to answer.
“I am not going to be putting myself in a position for you to weaponise my answer,” she said.
She did confirm he had visited her home – which was also her office – “five, 10, a handful of times”, but added: “It’s really not anyone’s business what private life we had.”
They had tried to meet in public, she went on, but it “became too much of a mob show”.
“So I said ‘you just have to come to my office.'”
On the issue of trade missions, Ms Arcuri said she had access because of the work she was doing – not because of any relationship with Mr Johnson.
“At the end of the day, I was allowed to go on that trade mission as a delegate because of who I was,” she said.
Ms Arcuri said she had never discussed any sponsorship or grants with Mr Johnson, and asked if he had helped with any “sponsorship money”, she said: “Categorically no. Do you think I would waste his time talking about this stuff?”
She also said Mr Johnson had nothing to do with an additional £100,000 grant awarded to her company by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in January.
And she denied reports he had written her a letter of recommendation to run the taxpayer-funded Tech City organisation, promoting technology companies in east London.
