Boris Johnson news: Poll shows no-deal Brexit support plunging, as PM sets up looming battle over Arcuri inquiry deadline

Follow all the latest developments

Jennifer Arcuri refuses to deny she slept with Boris Johnson

Jennifer Arcuri discussed her relationship with Boris Johnson on Good Morning Britain, refusing to deny she had an affair with him while he was London mayor, but insisting he “never ever gave me any favouritism”.

The Court of Session rejected a request for Mr Johnson be ordered to ask for a Brexit extension if he fails to get a deal, since the Scottish court accepted the government’s assurances it will abide by the Benn Act.

A new BMG Research poll for The Independent showed falling support for a no-deal Brexit, with only one-third of voters backing the idea of Mr Johnson crashing the UK out of the EU on 31 October if he cannot reach an agreement.

Follow events as they happened in our liveblog below

Key Points

• Arcuri denies 'favouritism' and says she feels betrayed by Johnson
• PM refuses to answer questions about Arcuri as inquiry deadline looms
• Only one-third of voters back no-deal Brexit, poll finds
• Campaigners lose court bid to force PM to ask for extension
• Government's diplomatic offensive in EU capitals fails

[7 October 2019 07:33 · Chris Baynes]

Good morning and welcome to The Independent's live coverage of Westminster.

[7 October 2019 07:52 · Chris Baynes]

Jennifer Arcuri is discussing the extent of her relationship with Boris Johnson in her first live TV interview.

The US businesswoman, who is alleged to have received preferential treatment from Mr Johnson while he was Mayor of London, us appearing on ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Monday.

[7 October 2019 07:53 · Chris Baynes]

Jennifer Arcuri refused to answer when asked whether she had had a sexual relationship with Johnson.

She said the prime minister had been to her Shoreditch office and home “five, ten, a handful of times” and described him as “a really good friend”.

“It's really not anyone's business what private life we had,” she said.

[7 October 2019 07:54 · Chris Baynes]

Jennifer Arcuri also said the prime minister “asked me to show him a few things”on the dancing pole she had in her London home.

Describing the kit as a “conversation starter,” she said she and Johnson “always had a laugh about it”.

“The pole stood in the living room, yes, he saw the pole,” said said.

She said she had asked Johnson to try out the pole himself, but asked by Piers Morgan if he agreed, she laughed and replied: “I'm never going to tell you that.”

[7 October 2019 07:56 · Chris Baynes]

Jennifer Arcuri has now refused to answer four times when asked if she had an “intimate relationship” with Boris Johnson.

She said: “Because the press have made me this objectified ex-model pole dancer, I am really not going to answer that question.

“I am not going to be putting myself in a position for you to weaponise my answer.

“Boris had nothing to do with my other achievements.”

[7 October 2019 08:07 · Adam Forrest]

Jennifer Arcuri has been asked again about the idea of favouritism on ITV’s Good Morning Britain.

She claimed the City Hall official who vetted her for trade trips abroad wanted to make sure she was “actually doing real business”.

Asked if any of her companies have ever made money, she replies “not yet… not yet,” before complaining it will be difficult to scale her business because of “smears and innuendo”.

She adds: “Boris Johnson had nothing to do with me grant – absolutely nothing.”

[7 October 2019 08:10 · Adam Forrest]

Asked if her company Hacker House operates in the UK, Jennifer Arcuri said: “My company is based in the UK – it’s never not been in the UK.”

She then appears confused about whether it operates out of Shoreditch or Manchester.

Arcuri said she last spoke to Johnson when she got pregnant at the end of 2016.

Asked if she felt a little betrayed, she said: “Of course.”

“I don’t need him right now. Britain needs him right now.”

[7 October 2019 08:13 · Adam Forrest]

Asked if she ever loved Boris Johnson, Jennifer Arcuri said: “I care about him deeply as a friend.”

And that’s it. Interview over. Lorraine Kelly says it was “quite extraordinary”.

[7 October 2019 08:37 · Adam Forrest]

Boris Johnson has warned the EU that his plans are the final opportunity to avert no deal as his hopes of securing Brexit agreement remain dangling on a thread.

A senior No 10 source said it would be a “historic misunderstanding” for the EU to place its faith in the Benn Act – a backbench law designed to force Mr Johnson to delay Brexit if he has not struck a deal by 19 October.

It comes as Emmanuel Macron said the UK had until the end of this week to change its proposals, while Antti Rinne, the Finnish prime minister, said the present situation was “a big mess” that Johnson was “having a hard time” getting himself out of.

[7 October 2019 08:41 · Adam Forrest]

Boris Johnson is reportedly willing to refuse to abide by the Benn Act and appear before the Supreme Court to defend himself if necessary.

A No 10 source told The Telegraph the prime minister would not mind being seen to fight the law’s requirement to sign a letter asking for a Brexit extension all the way.

“The real drama would be if Boris were in court calling it ‘the Surrender Act’. He would almost be happy if the judge said ‘you can’t call it that’.” 

No 10 sources and cabinet allies suggested over the weekend that Johnson could “squat” at No 10 even if a vote of no confidence went against him, challenging Her Majesty the Queen or even the police to come and get him.

“Unless the police turn up at the doors of Downing Street with a warrant for the prime minister’s arrest, he won’t be leaving,” a senior government figure told The Sunday Times.