The prime minister admitted to MPs on the powerful Liaison Committee on July 6 that he had “definitely” met the Russian oligarch and then owner of the Evening Standard while he was foreign secretary, without officials present. However, he said he would have to return to the committee to inform them of the exact date he was asked about, which he said was in Italy. He said it was a “personal commitment” and would provide more details in a letter. Foreign Secretary Vicky Ford also told the Commons earlier in July that she “believes” Mr Johnson reported the meeting to civil servants, prompting Labor to brand the prime minister as a “danger to the country”. Mr Johnson has now written to the committee confirming he attended a “social event” in April 2018 at the home of Yevgeny Lebedev, Alexander’s son who is now in Lords, Italy and said he stayed there overnight. He wrote: “As far as I know, no government business was discussed.” The Prime Minister listed the actions he has taken against Russian aggression and also highlighted how Labour’s shadow cabinet held several meetings and social engagements with Lord Lebedev. He said he met Mr Lebedev senior at the event in Italy and said it was “not an official meeting, not something that was pre-arranged”. The prime minister said officials knew “in advance that I was attending the social event”. “Contrary to some reports, my visit was in line with established security protocols under successive foreign ministers,” he added. “It would not be normal practice for public servants or security personnel to accompany me to such a private, social occasion. “I didn’t take ministerial papers with me.” Image: Former KGB spy Alexander Lebedev was at his son’s party where Boris Johnson was. Photo: AP He said ministers should pass any important content back to the Foreign Office if they find themselves discussing official business without an official presence at a social event. “That was not necessary in this case,” Mr. Johnson wrote. “As far as I know, no government business was discussed.” Labor deputy leader Angela Rayner said Johnson’s letter raised more questions and accused him of putting “people at risk” with his carelessness. “The prime minister claims that the meeting was not pre-arranged and yet he also says that the officials were informed in advance, but apparently he still cannot remember whether he discussed government business or not,” he said. “This letter suggests that the prime minister has something to hide. He did not say whether a private phone call had been arranged with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov or to explain the presence of an undeclared and unidentified visitor. “As Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson’s carelessness with words put people at risk. Every day he clings to office, there is new evidence of the national security risk he poses.” Image: Lord Lebedev is in the House of Lords from 2020. Photo: Parliament.tv In his letter to the committee, Mr Johnson wrote how he expelled Russian diplomats and intelligence officers over the Salisbury poisonings while he was foreign secretary. He also mentioned helping to impose sanctions on Russians “responsible for hostile and malicious activity.” Mr Johnson listed the action he had taken as prime minister against Russia over Ukraine and also how Lord Lebedev had been “vocal in his criticism of the Putin regime”. The prime minister also said how Labor Party records show “significant engagement” by the shadow cabinet with Lord Lebedev “and attendance at his social events”. He said this included meetings with Chris Bryant, the chair of the Standards Committee, and Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, “who have both raised the issue of my commitment in recent weeks”.
