Downing Street has categorically denied the allegations by Charlotte Edwardes, now a senior journalist with the Sunday Times, as “untrue”.
I wrote about the time Boris Johnson squeezed my thigh over lunch – while doing the same thing to the woman sitting on his other side #DoubleThighSqueezer @TheSTStyle @thesundaytimes https://t.co/AzUANcRYJx
— Charlotte Edwardes (@chedwardes) September 29, 2019
In a column on Sunday she alleges that while Johnson was editor of Spectator and she was a junior reporter they attended a lunch together.
“Under the table I feel Johnson’s hand on my thigh. He gives it a squeeze. His hand is high up my leg and he has enough inner flesh beneath his fingers to make me sit suddenly upright,” she wrote.
She also alleged that immediately afterwards when she confessed what had happened to the woman sitting on Johnson’s other side she responded, “Oh God, he did exactly the same to me.”
Prior to Downing Street responding, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock, was asked at the Conservative Party conference whether the PM had “questions to answer”.
Hancock controversially said: “No.”
“Boris has never lectured other people about their private lives and I think we should focus on delivering on what we are in politics for, which in my view is to serve the citizens of this country.”
A boss putting his hand on a junior colleague's inner thigh isn’t a ‘private matter’ @MattHancock, it’s sexual harassment and an abuse of power. Appalling to suggest otherwise. https://t.co/jxnFqPXylX
— Jo Swinson (@joswinson) September 29, 2019
He has since apologised and told Channel 4: “I know Charlotte well and I entirely trust what she has to say”.
Former Conservative Cabinet Minister, Amber Rudd, quickly tweeted that she agreed with Matt Hancock about Edwardes being trustworthy.
I agree with @MattHancock https://t.co/pnOMleXMih
— Amber Rudd (@AmberRuddUK) September 29, 2019
In response to the Downing Street denial Edwardes tweeted “If the prime minister doesn’t recollect the incident then clearly I have a better memory than he does.”
If the prime minister doesn’t recollect the incident then clearly I have a better memory than he does https://t.co/pbcLJThkqP
— Charlotte Edwardes (@chedwardes) September 29, 2019
It comes amid further controversy relating to Johnson’s relationship with Jennifer Arcuri while he was mayor of London, specifically as to whether there was any conflict of interest in the award of grants and access she was provided
In an interview on BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, the PM said there “was no interest to declare.”
https://twitter.com/MarkDiStef/status/1178370020507885573
Curiously Johnson wasn’t questioned about Edwardes’ allegations in the 27 minute television interview.