1/7 Where things are at with Arcuri.

22 Sep 19 Sunday Times article exposes the story
25 Sep 19 Chair of the Oversight Committee of the GLA writes to Johnson demanding ‘details & timeline’ of all contact with Arcuri & of Johnson’s disclosure of the relationship ..

..
25 Sep 19 GLA also refers complaint to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (‘IOPC’)
08 Oct 19 Johnson’s solicitors reply to Oversight Committee saying (a) none of your business & (b) Johnson will be cooperating fully with the IOPC.
16 Oct 19 the IOPC writes to ..

.. GLA saying please do nothing while they decide whether an investigation is warranted.

And there the trail ends.

Too soon to be cynical, however, because the reference to the IOPC (successor to the Independent Police Complaints Commission) was made under reg. 13 of ..

.. The Elected Local Policing Bodies (Complaints & Misconduct) Regs. 2012 - you will find them here:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/62/made

Reg. 2(1) makes clear the Mayor’s office for policing & crime is within the purview of the IOPC.

Reg. 14 requires the IOPC to decide upon..

.. receiving a complaint whether an investigation is necessary. So they are merely doing what the regs. require.

Reg 8 requires the IOPC to take steps to preserve evidence relevant to the complaint. The IOPC’s letter to the GLA asked that all relevant records be preserved

..

.. & also asked the GLA not to muddy the waters by conducting a parallel enquiry.

The reference was made by the GLA under reg. 13(2). That regulation deals with ‘conduct matters’. A conduct matter refers to a ‘case of which there is an indication ..

.. (whether from the circumstances or otherwise) that a relevant office holder may have committed a criminal offence’ - section 31(1)(b) of the Police Reform & Social Responsibility Act 2011.

31 Oct 2019 govt. enquiry into payment of £100,000 to one of Arcuri’s companies by DCMS to have been ‘appropriate’

NB this has nothing to do with the IOPC enquiry which is converned with GLA funding & trips. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-50252635

10 Nov 2019 IOPC controversially says it is delaying the announcement whether it will investigate the Arcuri conflict of interest allegations due to election purdah.

17 Nov 2019 Arcuri gives broadcast interview to ITV, also written up in the Observer:

‘But it is her suggestions that Johnson was both aware, and concerned about, the need to declare interests that could prove to be the most damaging to the prime minister ..

.. On becoming mayor of London in 2008 Johnson had to sign up to a code of conduct requiring that he not use his position to gain financial or other benefits for himself, his family or even his friends.’

17 Nov 19 ITV libels the prime minister. Unless the allegation that he had a 4 year affair with Arcuri happens to be true in which case Johnson has a problem. In 9 disclosure letters to the GLA’s monitoring officer (who has referred a complaint to the IOPC) over the period ..

.. 2012-2016 Johnson never mentioned his ‘friendship’ with Arcuri.

Arcuri herself demurely declined to say whether they had an affair, a posture she spoiled at the end of the broadcast when she disclosed half her friends have advised her to ‘admit the affair’ (the other half ..

.. advised denial).

Money was only mentioned once, in relation to £10K paid by London & Partners toward the cost of one of her events. The other benefits comprised visits on trade delegations to Malaysia, Tel Aviv & New York. The prog. offered little forensic detail ..

.. on precisely how she wangled her way onto these trips but there was enough to suggest pretty strongly that the relationship swung it.

18 Nov 2019 Guardian reports an earlier brush with the standards committee of the GLA

‘Johnson escaped censure in 2010 when he failed to declare an interest over an unpaid City Hall adviser, Helen Macintyre, who it later emerged had an extramarital affair with the then London ..

.. mayor and gave birth to one of his children.

Johnson acknowledged to the Greater London Authority’s standards committee at the time that a potential conflict of interest had not been disclosed over Macintyre and vowed to “bear in mind the definition of close ..

.. associate for the future”.’

08 Dec 19 It’s now 74 days since the GLA referred to the IOPC a complaint of misconduct in public office against the prime minister. Under the relevant regs. all the IOPC has to do at this stage is to decide whether to investigate. If it does, it may conduct the investigation ..

.. itself or refer it to a nominated police force.

It frankly beggars belief that this simple decision has not been taken after more than 10 weeks. There is very clearly a strong prima facie case, all the principal facts being well-evidenced.

It was leaked at the start of ..

.. election campaign that, due to election purdah, the IOPC would defer its announcement. The leak was greeted with outrage, especially as it is doubtful whether purdah extends so far. I understand the IOPC denied the leak but the fact remains no announcement has been made. ..

.. Draw your own conclusions.

Police watchdog criticised over Boris Johnson-Jennifer Arcuri inquiry delay https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jan/23/police-watchdog-slammed-over-boris-johnson-jennifer-arcuri-inquiry-delay?CMP=share_btn_tw