Boris Johnson today admitted meeting a former Russian spy without officials or his security team while Foreign Secretary.
The Prime Minister finally confirmed he visited billionaire Alexander Lebedev, who was an officer in the First Chief Directorate of the Soviet Union′s KGB, at his son Evgeny’s luxury Italian holiday home three years ago.
The meeting took place on April 28, 2018 when Mr Johnson was the UK’s top envoy and charged with representing Britain abroad.
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He was also responsible for the Secret Intelligence Service, MI6, and the Government's eavesdropping agency, GCHQ.
As Foreign Secretary he had round-the-clock armed bodyguards as part of his close protection team.
But Mr Johnson jetted to Evegeny Lebedev’s converted castle near Perugia without his security officers or any officials.
He later handed the Russian, who owns London’s Evening Standard newspaper, a Tory peerage.
Quizzed at the Commons Liaison Committee about meeting Alexander Lebvedev, the PM said: “I certainly have met the gentleman in question, who used to be the proprietor of the London Evening Standard when I was Mayor of London.
“I’m certainly not going to deny having met Alexander Lebedev, I certainly have.”
Pressed by Commons Home Affairs Select Committee Dame Diana Johnson if he met him as Foreign Secretary “without officials”, the PM confessed: “I certainly met him without officials.”
Mr Johnson said he had met him “on a very few occasions, on the occasion you’re mentioning if that was when I was Foreign Secretary then yes”.
He said he thought he “mentioned” it to officials and confirmed the meeting took place in Italy.
Labour's Deputy Leader Angela Rayner said: “Boris Johnson has finally admitted to meeting his billionaire former KGB friend, without officials, just days after attending a high-level NATO summit.
“As Foreign Secretary, Johnson’s carelessness with words put people in danger; he must come clean about what he disclosed to Alexander Lebedev."
She added: “Boris Johnson’s care-free attitude to British security runs deep in his bones.
“This is a pattern of behaviour dating back years - he puts personal friendships above the public interest.
“This Prime Minister is a threat to national security and is unfit for his office.”
