Nicholas Soames: I believe the PM and I believe Charlotte Edwardes

Former Conservative MP Sir Nicholas Soames has said he believes both the PM and journalist Charlotte Edwardes, over the allegation that Mr Johnson squeezed her thigh during a lunch.

Ms Edwardes says the alleged incident took place in 1999, but Downing Street called the allegation "untrue".

Sir Nicholas, who describes Prime Minister Boris Johnson as his friend, told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme: "The prime minister says it wasn’t true. Charlotte Edwards... who is a senior and distinguished journalist, says it is true. And there it must hang in mid-air."

Asked whether Mr Johnson has a "woman issue", Sir Nicholas - the grandson of Winston Churchill - replied: "I don’t know, I really don’t know.

"But I think it’s rather like President Trump, in a way.

"President Trump’s behaviour is sort of priced into the character already. And I don’t know how serious this will affect the prime minister."