A model-turned-tech-entrepreneur accused of benefitting from a close personal relationship with Boris Johnson during his time as Mayor has denied any wrong-doing.

Jennifer Arcuri, said the Prime Minister “never showed me any favouritism”, in an interview with ITV’s Good Morning Britain yesterday (Monday).

But the businesswoman repeatedly refused to deny she had an affair with the then-Mayor.

She said: “I care about him deeply as a friend and we do share a very close bond.”

Ms Arcuri met Mr Johnson while he was campaigning for reelection as London mayor in 2011.

He spoke unpaid at four events hosted by her company, Innotech, and the pair became close friends.

The American businesswoman then received a series of pots of start-up funding, totalling more than £100,000.

This included £10,000 from London & Partners, a business arm of the Greater London authority run and co-funded by the Mayor.

Ms Arcuri also accompanied the Mayor on a number of business trips as a delegate – despite not meeting the criteria to come.

And Mr Johnson wrote a letter of recommendation for her when she applied for a £100,000-a-year job as head of a technology quango, according to The Sunday Times.

Ms Arcuri “categorically” denied the existence of this letter yesterday.

But London Assembly members said Mr Johnson still has many questions to answer about his relationship with Ms Arcuri.

Labour’s Tom Copley said the public had “learned very little” from Ms Arcuri’s interview.

Speaking on BBC Politics yesterday, he said: “She was asked repeatedly whether or not she’d had an affair with Boris Johnson and refused to answer.

“I think its worth reminding ourselves why this is important.

“This isn’t about him having an affair in and of himself – that’s not a matter for us. That’s not a legal matter, and frankly I’d rather know as little about Boris Johnson’s personal life as possible.

“The issue is whether or not he used his position in order to benefit a close personal friend.”

Liberal Democrat Caroline Pidgeon said questions about the former Mayor’s conduct “build up by the day”.

She said: “Boris Johnson cannot run away from answering questions or being held to account for the promises he made to Londoners and his conduct in office.”

The Assembly’s GLA Oversight Committee – tasked with holding the Mayor and the Greater London Authority as a whole to account – has demanded details of the relationship between Ms Arcuri and Mr Johnson.

The Prime Minister has until the end of today (Tuesday) to respond – or he could face legal action.