The Standard was given one of the rare newspaper interviews with Johnson, reporting on his promise to reach out “beyond Tory voters” and to bring “excitement” but also “seriousness” to politics. And it was the Standard who published the first post-row picture of Johnson with his girlfriend, Carrie Symonds, claiming – without explanation or evidence – that all was now well with the couple.

The front page of the paper, largely filled with an undated image of the couple holding hands in a country garden, stated: “Boris Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds broke cover today in pictures of them holding hands and gazing into each other’s eyes just days after police were called to a row at her flat. “ A “source” in the article confirmed the picture was “genuine”.

Friends with the Saudis

The Lebedevs, in turn, have many reasons to nurture a close relationship with the likely next prime minister.

Their Evening Standard newspaper has recently attracted controversy because of its links to Saudi business interests. Following the sale in 2017 of a significant part of Lebedev’s shares in the Evening Standard and Independent website to an entity in the Cayman Islands, the Culture Secretary, Jeremy Wright, decided to trigger competition and public interest probes.

Wright said the Cayman companies had “strong links” to Saudi Arabia and said the sale warranted investigation, given the public requirement for accurate news and free expression of opinion. (Media reports had already identified the Saudi link.)

The Competition and Markets Authority and the media regulator, Ofcom, have until August 23 to respond. The UK, however, will have a new prime minister by that date, potentially one who calls Evgeny “a friend.”

The strange case of the dead dog

There is much that remains opaque about the Lebedevs’ other business relationships, and personal loyalties. Whatever their relationship with Putin is, and whatever the current scale of the family’s wealth in London and Moscow, Evgeny Lebedev is, according to some of his close associates, still personally afraid of the actions Putin could deploy to control the business activities of his family.

One example of that fear is the recent death of his dog. Vladimir, a large white Borzoi, a Russian wolfhound, was found dead on the Umbrian estate. The dog was said to be Lebedev’s pride and joy. His Instagram account is full of pictures of the huge dog, which was clearly an important part of his life. The last picture of the dog was posted in November last year.

Lebedev has told associates that he believes the dog was poisoned and that it was a message from Moscow.

The great and the good

As might be expected from the owner of a media company, Boris Johnson is just one in a long list of senior politicians and celebrities entertained by Evgeny Lebedev. David Cameron and Vince Cable, the former head of the Metropolitan Police Bernard Hogan-Howe, and Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage have all been welcomed at his lavish London properties. Rupert Murdoch and other media elites are repeat guests.

Other actors and celebrities who are regular guests at his home in central London, at Stud House on the Hampton Court estate, and in Italy include Elton John, Shirley Bassey, Elizabeth Hurley, Stephen Fry, Rupert Everett, Michael Gambon and Shirley Bassey. Peter Mandelson, who held numerous cabinet posts in Tony Blair’s government, accompanied by his partner Reinaldo da Silva, have also been visitors.

Sarah Sands, the former Evening Standard editor and now editor of the BBC Today Programme, and George Osborne, the former chancellor and now editor of Lebedev’s Evening Standard, have both made multiple visits to Umbria. Amol Rajan, the former editor of The Independent, now media editor of the BBC, frequently travelled to Umbria when he worked as Lebedev’s personal assistant and fixer, and later during his brief stint running the Independent newspaper. The online Independent remains part of Lebedev’s ESI Media company.



Dignity in public office



Boris Johnson’s opponent in the Tory leadership race, current Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, has so far refused to go negative on Boris – in particular on his personal life. The Foreign Secretary, although understood to have potential ammunition on his competitor, has so far restricted criticism to calling Johnson “a coward” for refusing to take part in televised debates. Their only scheduled TV debate is in early July, crucially after the arrival of ballot papers to Conservative members.

Others are less circumspect. Max Hastings, Johnson’s boss when he was a journalist at the Daily Telegraph, described him as “utterly unfit to be prime minister” and a “tasteless joke” being foisted on the British people by the Conservative Party, adding: “Dignity still matters in public office and Johnson will never have it.”

openDemocracy contacted Boris Johnson’s campaign asking for any comment he would care to make. No reply was received.

Contact was also made with Katie Price’s management team and with Joan Collins’ managing agents. No reply was received.

Mr Lebedev’s office at the Evening Standard was also contacted. An initial statement simply said “This is wrong.” Asked to clarify what was wrong - namely, the foreign secretary’s visit to Terranova, Katie Price’s invitation and attendance, and the description of the dinner party - no further response was received.