Boris Johnson Is Facing Allegations That He Groped Women and Misused Public Funds. Here’s What to Know

Boris Johnson has been rocked by fresh allegations relating to his personal life, as he continues to battle intransigent lawmakers over his approach to Brexit.

On the eve of the Conservative Party Conference, Charlotte Edwardes, a journalist for the U.K. Sunday Times newspaper, accused Johnson of groping her at a private lunch in 1999.

This is on top of allegations of an improper relationship with an American entrepreneur, Jennifer Arcuri, during his time as London mayor. Johnson denies any wrongdoing.

But the U.K. Prime Minister has been dogged by claims and reports about his private life throughout his career as a journalist and as politician. Here’s what to know:

What are the groping allegations against Boris Johnson?

Edwardes accused Johnson of groping her leg during an event at the offices of The Spectator, a British magazine the future Prime Minister edited between 1999 and 2005. Johnson has denied the claims. The allegations were made by Edwardes, 45, in a Sunday Times article on Sept. 29.

She wrote: “I’m seated on Johnson’s right; on his left is a young woman I know. More wine is poured; more wine is drunk. Under the table I feel Johnson’s hand on my thigh. He gives it a squeeze. His hand is high up my leg and he has enough inner flesh beneath his fingers to make me sit suddenly upright.”

After confiding in the young woman on Johnson’s left, the guest tells her “Oh god, he did exactly the same to me,” Edwardes claimed.

Responding to the allegations on the first day of the Conservative Party conference, Johnson’s spokesperson said: “This allegation is untrue.” Edwardes responded in a Tweet: “If the prime minister doesn’t recollect the incident then clearly I have a better memory than he does.”

If the prime minister doesn’t recollect the incident then clearly I have a better memory than he does https://t.co/pbcLJThkqP

— Charlotte Edwardes (@chedwardes) September 29, 2019

Outside the conference, Carrie Symonds, Boris Johnson’s current partner, declined to answer TIME’s questions about the groping allegations.

Just got shoved out the way by someone in Boris Johnson's partner Carrie Symonds' entourage when I asked about the groping allegations against him from 1999. No comment from her.

— Billy Perrigo (@billyperrigo) September 30, 2019

At least one of Johnsons’s own cabinet colleagues believes the allegations have some substance. Health Secretary Matt Hancock came to Edwardes’ support, saying she was “trustworthy.” Amber Rudd, the former Work and Pensions Secretary, said she agreed with Hancock.

What are the allegations against Boris Johnson relating to Jennifer Arcuri?

Vicki Couchman — ShutterstockJennifer Arcuri meets Boris Johnson as part of Innotechsummit.com Google Hangout at Excel World Islamic Economic Forum, London, UK – 30 Oct 2013. Boris Johnson was the Mayor of London at the time.

An investigation by The Sunday Times revealed that Arcuri, a U.S. entrepreneur who has described Johnson as her “best friend”, was given a total of £126,000 in public money and attended three official overseas trade missions led by Boris Johnson whilst he was the Mayor of London. Johnson has since been referred to the U.K. police watchdog by the Greater London Authority monitoring officer Emma Strain, who oversees the conduct of the mayor and other members.

On Sept. 29, sources – including a New York Times journalist – told the Sunday Times that Jennifer Arcuri confided in friends that she was engaged in a sexual affair with Boris Johnson during his time as Mayor of London. David Enrich, the financial editor of the New York Times, told the Sunday Times that he was told of an alleged relationship between Johnson and Arcuri by two of Arcuri’s friends when he was working for another newspaper. A friend of Arcuri told The Sunday Times that Johnson was a regular visitor of Arcuri’s flat in East London.

Jennifer Arcuri did not respond to a request to comment by The Sunday Times in relation to her relationship with Johnson, but did issue a short statement on Sept. 27. It read: “Any grants received by my companies and any trade mission I joined were purely in respect to my role as a legitimate businesswoman. I am incredibly disappointed that The Sunday Times cannot write about a successful female entrepreneur without smearing her with innuendo based on leaks from City Hall.”

During his time as Mayor of London, Jennifer Arcuri’s company, Innotech, received two sponsorship grants totaling £11,500 from London & Partners, the organization that Johnson was responsible for at the time.

Arcuri also attended three overseas trade missions led by Johnson to Singapore and Malaysia, New York and Tel Aviv, despite her businesses not meeting the eligibility criteria for the trips. Johnson’s team overruled the decisions made by officials to not include her on the official visits to New York and Tel Aviv.

As Mayor,

Boris Johnson Is Facing Allegations That He Groped Women and Misused Public Funds. Here’s What to Know