Jennifer Arcuri refuses to say if she had affair with Boris Johnson

An American businesswoman at the centre of allegations of impropriety and conflict of interest dating back to Boris Johnson’s time as Mayor of London has refused to comment on whether they had an intimate relationship.

Jennifer Arcuri, the American businesswoman at the centre of a storm over her association with Boris Johnson, being interviewed on ITV's Good Morning Britain. Picture: ITV/PA

Jennifer Arcuri said it was “really not anyone’s business” what sort of relationship she had with Mr Johnson, and claimed any answer would be “weaponised”.

The technology entrepreneur and former model was reportedly given £126,000 in public money and privileged access to three foreign trade missions led by Mr Johnson while he was in City Hall.

She insisted that Mr Johnson "never ever gave me any favouritism" and said he "had nothing to do with my grant. Absolutely nothing".

Last month, the Prime Minister was referred to the police complaints body to assess whether he should face a criminal investigation over his association with Ms Arcuri.

The Sunday Times has reported that the businesswoman confided to four friends that they had been engaged in an affair during his time as mayor.

But Mr Johnson insisted last week that everything he did when promoting London overseas as mayor was done in "complete conformity with the code and the rules".

In an interview with ITV’s Good Morning Britain programme, Ms Arcuri denied that Mr Johnson provided a letter of recommendation when she applied to lead the quango TechCity UK, or that she asked him.

She said she saved Mr Johnson's number in her telephone under the name 'Alex the Great', and revealed he visited her flat a "handful" of times - later clarifying that meant five.

Ms Arcuri said she did not have time for the media attention surrounding Mr Johnson when they met in public.

She added: "We tried having drinks out in public or having lunch, it just became too much of a mob show, so I said 'you just have to come to my office'." When asked, Ms Arcuri said that her office was in her Shoreditch flat.

Ms Arcuri refused to answer four times when asked whether she had had a sexual relationship with Mr Johnson.

"It's really not anyone's business what private life we had." She added: “I’m not going to be put in a position where you weaponise my answer. What a bunch of churlish little guttersnipes”

Ms Arcuri confirmed her flat was fitted with a pole dancing pole, which Mr Johnson saw when he visited. Asked if he ever used it, she replied: "I'm never going to tell you that."