As UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrived at his first Tory conference, hoping to reaffirm his message that Brexit will happen next month, questions remain over his links to a businesswoman when he was Mayor of London. Meanwhile, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn says he is ready to lead an interim government - but his priority is preventing a no deal Brexit. Image: AP

Journalist Charlotte Edwardes has accused British Prime Minister Boris Johnson of inappropriately touching her when he was editor of the Spectator in 1999.

She says Mr Johnson touched her leg during an event held by the magazine.

Writing in The Sunday Times, Edwardes, said: “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 flesh beneath his fingers to make me sit suddenly upright.”

According to The Sun, Ms Edwardes says at the time she was a young newspaper reporter writing occasional articles for the right-wing magazine.

She also claimed to have confided in the “young woman” on his other side after the “louche, loud, risqué” lunch.

The woman reportedly responded, saying: “Oh God, he did exactly the same to me”.

Edwardes, who wrote for the Evening Standard before recently moving to the Sunday Times, says he was with his partner Marina Wheeler at the time.

Downing Street has denied the claim, with a Number 10 spokesman saying: “This allegation is untrue.”

Labour’s shadow secretary for women and equalities Dawn Butler said it was a “shocking but sadly all-too-familiar story”.

So #Marr Boris Johnson is accused of sexually women. hedge funds scandal. Racism



But you didn't asked a single question about it.



Why is that? Is this how the establishment works?



If you’re a privileged man you can get away with just about anything.#dissapointed https://t.co/xQ7E3wceC3 — (((Dawn Butler MP))) (@DawnButlerBrent) September 29, 2019

“What is it about powerful men feeling entitled to harass women? Boris Johnson has serious questions to answer,” she tweeted.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock played down the report, saying there were “always lots of other stories in papers”.

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“Boris has never lectured other people about their private lives,” he said at a Tory party fringe event in Manchester.

“I think that we should concentrate on delivering on what we are in politics for, which in my view is to serve the citizens of this country.”

Ms Edwardes made the allegation on the second anniversary of the Me Too movement.

In her column, she also referenced Michael Fallon and Damian Green, two Conservative ministers who resigned after they were accused of sexual misconduct.

Ms Edwardes writes: “He’s [Boris has] seen off mere papery knee-fondlers — two ministers were flung out for this in 2017 — and now he’s installed in No 10, where, I imagine, he man-sprawls the sofas, brushing crumbs from his tie, while, upstairs, his bedroom is a Tracey Emin installation.”

Michael Fallon resigned from his defence portfolio after several allegations of misconduct, including an admission that he’d repeatedly touched the journalist Julia Hartley-Brewer’s knee at a conference dinner.

Damian Green stepped down from his role as First Secretary of State after Tory activist, Kate Maltby, accused him of touching her leg and making a pass at her.

CASH ‘SCANDAL’

The allegations come as Boris Johnson steps out in Manchester for the Conservative Party conference amid chaos over Brexit.

Mr Johnson was today forced to deny any improper relationship with US businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri while he was London mayor.

The tech entrepreneur, 34, is said to have confided to pals about an intimate relationship with the then-married London mayor.

Mr Johnson today said there was “no interest to declare” regarding links with Ms Arcuri and that everything had been done “with full propriety”.

It was alleged her company received a thousand pounds in sponsorship grants because of a special relationship.

The police watchdog is currently investigating whether a crime was committed.

This article first appeared in The Sun and is republished with permission.