Anger over fresh delays to decision on Arcuri-Johnson probe

The police regulator says it has been tracking down
witnesses across the world, as it seeks to explain why it has yet to decide
whether to launch an investigation into Boris Johnson and his relationship with
the US businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri.
Since late September the Independent Office for
Police Conduct (IOPC) has been evaluating whether to investigate the prime
minister for possible criminal misconduct over his friendship with Arcuri when
he was mayor of London.
Its decision had initially been expected in
November, until the Observer learned that an announcement would be delayed
until after the general election in December, effectively protecting Johnson
from potentially damaging headlines at a crucial stage of the campaign.
Now London assembly members fear that the continuing
and “surprising” delay by IOPC investigators could mean that no announcement
will be forthcoming before the period of “purdah” that begins next month before
the London mayoral elections.
They say they were initially told that the IOPC
investigation into Johnson – who, when he was mayor, had responsibility for
policing in London – would be “done and dusted” by the end of November,
allowing the GLA’s oversight committee to resume its own investigation into
Johnson’s relationship with Arcuri.
IOPC sources have confirmed that the watchdog is
still engaged on a “scoping exercise” into the allegations against the prime
minister and said that the body had “never put a timescale on how long this
process will take”. It has previously denied that a decision was delayed to
spare Johnson potential embarrassment before the election, and insists that the
information-gathering exercise into the claims has been complex.
“The
allegations date back around eight years, and any potential evidence which
would help us to decide whether or not those reasonable grounds exist is
information we have to access from other organisations. We have also had to
locate and speak with a number of potential witnesses both in this country and
abroad,” the IOPC said in a statement.
Confirmation that the investigation has widened
internationally is potentially significant. Among the questions that have
arisen over Johnson and Arcuri, a technology entrepreneur, include how she
secured a place on three City Hall foreign trade missions when he was mayor.
Reports have indicated these encompassed a November 2015 trip to Tel Aviv, a mayoral
trip to Malaysia and Singapore in November 2014, and one to New York in
February 2015.
Confirmation that the police watchdog is still
deliberating over its decision after almost 150 days has prompted dismay from
London assembly members.
Caroline Pidgeon, a Liberal Democrat member of the
London assembly’s oversight committee, said: “It beggars belief that after all
these months the IOPC is still looking at whether or not to investigate the
former mayor of London. What is taking so long? It makes no sense and is simply
delaying the work of the London assembly looking into this matter and the use
of City Hall resources.”
Len Duvall, Labour chair of the oversight committee,
said : “I am surprised it is taking this long and I’ve got a feeling it’s just
being dragged out now ahead of purdah. It just stops us doing our
investigation.”
Among the allegations being investigated by the IOPC
are questions over a payment of £126,000 of public money to Arcuri’s businesses
and why she was allowed on three overseas trade missions with Johnson despite
not qualifying as a delegate.
Johnson has insisted he acted with “full propriety”
and claimed he had no interest to declare. Arcuri has said that she was given
no favours by Johnson, but she has conceded that the then mayor should have
declared their friendship.