Angry Boris lets fly at ‘liar’ Livingstone in foul-mouthed row

Mr Johnson shouted “It’s all f****** lies, it’s all f****** lies” after the former mayor claimed on air that the Conservative was channelling his earnings through a private company.

The two men were travelling in a lift at LBC 97.3 after taking part in a live mayoral debate ahead of next month’s elections. Liberal Democrat Brian Paddick and Green candidate Jenny Jones were also in the lift.

Mr Johnson was “visibly shaking with anger” and was “right up in Mr Livingstone’s face” when he began swearing, it was claimed.

Mr Livingstone accused the mayor of having “the same arrangements” for dealing with his media earnings as him.

Mr Livingstone has come under attack for “tax dodging” over claims that he was paid via a company so he was liable only for corporation tax at 20 per cent instead of income tax.

It is understood the mayor talked to his opponent privately to tell him that was not true three weeks ago and he was furious when Mr Livingstone then repeated the claims on air.

Mr Johnson called the accusation “lies”, adding: “I have never used a company to minimise my tax. There was a TV production company which I was briefly a director of but I certainly never ... I have always paid full income tax.”

He later issued a statement rebutting the allegations that he used the same tax arrangements as his Mayoral rival.

He added: “Of course, the real point is not about my tax arrangements. It is about the hypocrisy of a man who for years has railed against those who use special arrangements to reduce their tax and who has then been caught – bang to rights – doing the very same thing himself.”

A spokesman for Mr Livingstone said the candidate stood by his claims.