'Evasive' Johnson breached rules about hedge fund links

Former prime minister Boris Johnson has breached government rules by being “evasive” about his relationship with a company that set up a meeting between him and Venezuela’s president Nicolas Maduro, the business appointments watchdog has said.

- DAVID LYNCH

Lord Pickles, chair of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba), has written to both Mr Johnson and deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden warning of the breach.

The development comes after the former Conservative prime minister failed to clarify his relationship with a company called Merlyn Advisors, a hedge fund. Mr Johnson is reported to have met Mr Maduro alongside Merlyn Advisors co-founder Maarten Petermann in February.

Lord Pickles wrote in his letter to Mr Dowden: “Mr Johnson has repeatedly been asked by Acoba to clarify his relationship with Merlyn Advisors. He has not done so, nor has he denied the reports in the media that he has been working with Merlyn Advisors on a non-contractual basis.”