Boris Johnson has been rapped by Whitehall’s appointments watchdog for allegedly failing to explain his dealings with the Saudi crown prince after leaving No 10.
Mr Johnson said a series of media reports, in which it was claimed he lobbied a senior Saudi official he met while in office to share a pitch with Mohammed bin Salman, came from “material illegally hacked by a hostile state actor”.
The former Conservative prime minister told Acoba (Advisory Committee on Business Appointments) it was “plainly wrong in principle to respond to stories generated in this way”, when the watchdog contacted him.
Isabel Doverty, interim chairwoman of Acoba, accused Mr Johnson of a “lack of cooperation with” her organisation, and has invited Cabinet Office minister Darren Jones to “decide what action to take in relation to this breach”.
She also claimed he failed to “deny allegations” that he “sought to make introductions or discuss work on behalf of two companies” without first receiving Acoba advice.
“To do so would be a breach of the rules and/or Acoba’s advice,” Ms Doverty warned, referring to the ministerial code which demands ministers do not take on new roles for up to two years after leaving office without advice.
The Guardian published a series of stories last month, based on leaked data provided by a non-profit organisation, that suggested Mr Johnson profited from contacts and influence he gained in office.
He is alleged to have made approaches for a company linked to him, called Better Earth.
Ms Doverty asked him for details of “meetings, discussions and correspondence with Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud, crown prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, minister of commerce of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where Better Earth was discussed”.
She also asked him for information about his relationship with a second company, BIA Advisory, in the two-year period after he left No 10, which came to an end on September 6 2024.
Her questions were based on “media reports”, she wrote.
As he complained the reports were based on hacked information, Mr Johnson added they contained “assertions that are either false or misleading”.
He continued: “It is plainly wrong in principle to respond to stories generated in this way since any such response will be taken to legitimate and encourage further illegal activity.”
Ms Doverty followed up with a set of five questions, asking Mr Johnson whether Better Earth came up at any meetings with the crown prince, and when he signed his contracts.
He replied that in addition to holding off working with Better Earth until he received Acoba’s advice, he sought advice about working with BIA, “but the idea was not proceeded with, and no such company was ever set up”.
Ms Doverty wrote twice more to Mr Johnson, and in her final letter warned him: “Your failure to answer specific questions and provide a factual denial of these allegations suggests there has been a breach of the rules.”
According to Acoba’s advice, Mr Johnson was told he “should not become personally involved in lobbying contacts” he developed during his time in government, for Better Earth.
The Cabinet Office has been contacted for comment.
