The shelving of the publication has led to increasingly sensationalist claims on the internet, including about Mr Lebedev’s party. Mr Lebedev, 39, moved to London aged eight to be with his father, Alexander, who had diplomatic cover for his KGB work, and has remained in the UK ever since. According to an account by openDemocracy, a campaigning Left-wing website, Mr Johnson travelled to Mr Lebedev’s villa in the hills near Perugia in October 2016, shortly after he became Foreign Secretary. It was one of several visits Mr Johnson has made to the villa, dating back to his time as London Mayor. The website alleged that she called Mr Lebedev ‘You Guv’ then announced that ‘champagne and Pricey don’t mix’ and ‘lifted her top to expose her breasts, turning to face the Foreign Secretary [Mr Johnson] as she did so’.

Source: Daily Mail November 16, 2019 22:07 UTC