Boris Johnson argues about definition of 'spaffing' in TV interview after being confronted over child sex abuse investigation remarks

'These are your definitions, you've chosen to use this language'

Boris Johnson has argued over the definition of "spaffing" after being confronted in a television interview over his previous remarks relating to investigations of historic child sexual abuse.

It comes after the prime minister said earlier this year while a backbencher that government money had been "spaffed up the wall" relating to certain cases – leading to accusations he was insulting survivors of abuse.

Tackled on his comments on the second day of the Conservative Party conference, Mr Johnson denied he used the word to refer to "ejaculation" when questioned by ITV News.

"Do you understand that victims of child sexual abuse, survivors of child sexual abuse will hear you use the word 'spaffed' - which means 'ejaculated', prime minister," the interviewer said.

But the prime minister replied: "These are your definitions. You've chosen to use this language. I wasn't referring in that context to investigations taking place in Rotherham".

"I think it is very important that funding is spent on frontline policing," he said, adding that some unfounded claims were not good use of public money.

Mr Johnson did not elaborate on his definition of "spaffing", as he refused to apologise for the remark. No 10 declined to add any comment when approached by The Independent.

Speaking earlier this year to LBC, Mr Johnson said an "awful lot of police time" was being spent looking at "historic offences and all this malarkey", adding: "£60m I saw was being spaffed up the wall on some investigation into historic child abuse and all the kind of thing."

At the time, Labour branded Mr Johnson a “shameless, dangerous oaf” for his latest gaffe, which came in response to questions about police numbers during a radio phone-in.