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Boris Johnson lobbied by Saudi prince: Prime Minister acted on personal plea from Mohammed Bin Salman over 'axed' £300m deal to buy Newcastle football club... now it may be back on

Boris Johnson intervened in a Saudi bid to buy a top English football club after he was personally lobbied by its crown prince.

Mohammed Bin Salman urged him to 'correct and reconsider' a 'wrong' decision by the Premier League, which was accused of blocking a £300million takeover of Newcastle United, it emerged last night. The angry crown prince warned the Prime Minister last year that Anglo-Saudi relations would be damaged unless it was reversed.

Mr Johnson asked senior No10 aide Lord Eddie Lister, a Middle East expert, to take up the complaint. Lord Lister said he would 'investigate'.