The story, which expanded on claims in a biography First Lady: Intrigue at the Court of Carrie and Boris Johnson, written by Tory donor and peer Lord Ashcroft earlier this year, appeared in the first edition of the newspaper on Saturday, but vanished from later copies.

A version also disappeared from the Mail Online website, leading to speculation that No 10 had intervened to have the piece pulled.

On Monday, Johnson’s spokesperson admitted there had been contact between Downing Street and The Times before and after the story was published.

Confirming the conversations with the paper before and after the story was published., the spokesperson refused to say “who spoke to who,” but denied it was the prime minister himself.

The spokesperson for Carrie Johnson also denied the claims, calling them “totally untrue”.

What is “Carriegate”? And how is Boris Johnson involved?