On Saturday, the Times reported claims that Boris Johnson had tried to hire his now wife as his chief of staff when he was foreign secretary.

But almost as soon as the article hit the printers, it was withdrawn, without explanation or clarification.

The piece, written by the veteran lobby journalist Simon Walters, formerly of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, appeared on page five of some early print copies of Saturday’s Times newspaper but was dropped for later editions.

It does not appear that the article was ever published on the Times’ website.

The story expanded on claims in a biography of Carrie Johnson by the Tory donor and peer Lord Ashcroft that Johnson had tried to appoint her to a £100,000-a-year government job when he was foreign secretary in 2018.

It said the idea had fallen apart when his closest advisers learned of the idea to hire the Tory press chief, then known as Carrie Symonds, whom he later married. Johnson was then still married to Marina Wheeler, a barrister.

Downing Street declined to give an on-the-record response to the story but a No 10 source also said the story was untrue – and suggested it was sexist.

“This is a grubby, discredited story turned down by most reputable media outlets because it isn’t true. The facts speak for themselves.”

Walters told the Guardian: “I stand by the story. I went to all the relevant people over two days. Nobody offered me an on-the-record denial and Downing St didn’t deny it off the record either.”

Journalists at the Times were baffled by the decision to withdraw Saturday’s story, with multiple sources suggesting there had been a high-level intervention to remove it.

bump me up becky please, im stuck on may

As I have said before whatever stories be they true , partially true or simply made up, they will change nothing.

The press could publish a picture of Boris sniffing lines off of Priti Patel's naked buttocks and no one would bat an eyelid as people seem to expect this sort of thing from our 'loveable buffoon,' of a PM.

As for this story of it is true then it just proves what an upholder of equality he is as he has always offered highly paid roles to his various conquests!

As I have said before whatever stories be they true , partially true or simply made up, they will change nothing.

The press could publish a picture of Boris sniffing lines off of Priti Patel's naked buttocks and no one would bat an eyelid as people seem to expect this sort of thing from our 'loveable buffoon,' of a PM.

As for this story of it is true then it just proves what an upholder of equality he is as he has always offered highly paid roles to his various conquests!

Yes, i"m afraid he could be caught with his pants down with a line up of naked school kids in Downing street and half the country would say-"shouldn"t those truants be in school?"