Boris Johnson met Russian oligarch Alexander Lebedev without officials present while he was foreign secretary, he told MPs.
The Prime Minister said he “certainly” met the former owner of the Evening Standard, a former KGB officer, in Italy after being asked to confirm details of previous meetings while attending the Commons Liaison Committee in Wednesday.
It comes amid an investigation by the House of Commons Intelligence and Security Committee into the appointment of Mr Lebedev’s son, Yevgeny Lebedev, to the House of Lords.
The appointment was shrouded in controversy after The Sunday Times alleged security services retracted their assessment that the premiership posed a national security risk following the Prime Minister’s intervention.
Yevgeny Lebedev (left) and Boris Johnson attend a reception before lunch (Ian West/PA)
(PA cable)
Asked by Labour’s Diana Johnson if he had met Alexander Lebedev without officials on 28 April 2018, Mr Johnson replied: “I certainly met the gentleman in question who owned the London Evening Standard when I was mayor of London.
“I certainly won’t deny that I met Alexander Lebedev, I certainly did.
Mr Johnson added: “I have certainly met him without officials.
“I met him very few times.
“On the occasion you mentioned, if that was when I was Foreign Secretary, then yes.”
Mr. Johnson said he reported to officials that he had met with Mr. Lebedev.
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