Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson first victim as China sets up Olympic 'protest pens'

The Telegraph (Free subscription) | yesterday

Beijing is to confine would-be demonstrators to three "protest pens" during the Olympics - disrupting Boris Johnson's plans.

Boris Johnson goes missing again from City Hall

Tory Troll (Free subscription) | yesterday

Has anyone seen the Mayor? I'm only asking because he's just missed his second meeting of the City Hall Standards Committee. Under discussion is the question of who should make sure he hasn't employed any congenital liars, and how to avoid staff suing each other. So nothing that important really. Of course Boris Johnson has a reputation for making no-shows . During the campaign he pulled out of a number...

[Blogs] The cost of Boris Johnson's Trasition Team

Labourhome (Free subscription) | 22/07/2008

Another brilliant spot by Tory Troll Tory Troll is the best Boris-watch bloggers out there. His latest post is on the cost of Boris Johnson's transition team. I can do no better than to quote an excerpt from his post: Quote: Boris Johnson today admitted that the total cost of the 'transition team' of consultants, Tory HQ fixers and PR spinners is likely to be well in excess of half a million pounds....

James Daley: The "Summer of Cycling" initiative

The Independent (Free subscription) | 13 hours ago

Last Monday morning, London's new mayor Boris Johnson – or Bojo, as he is affectionately known – summoned the nation's press to the foot of the London Eye for the unveiling of a major new cycling initiative. I was, alas, washing my hair (or something equally important) at the time, but it turns out, as I suspected, I didn't miss much.

Boris' new Policy Director on race and Hackney

Luke's Blog (Free subscription) | 22/07/2008

Boris Johnson has just appointed Anthony Browne, fresh from directing David Cameron's favourite think tank Policy Exchange, as his Director of Policy. I'm not sure we can expect a sensitive approach to policy questions regarding race and migration from Mr Browne, given the views he has expressed about these matters (and about my home borough of Hackney) here in the Spectator . Personally I found his...

Boris Johnson admits real cost of 'transition team'

Tory Troll (Free subscription) | 22/07/2008

Boris Johnson today admitted that the total cost of the 'transition team' of consultants, Tory HQ fixers and PR spinners is likely to be well in excess of half a million pounds. The admission contained within his written answers to Assembly Members comes one week after he suggested that the cost would be less than half of that amount. Speaking at Mayor's Question Time, Boris told the assembly that...

Police numbers may fall says Boris Johnson Deputy

Tory Troll (Free subscription) | 22/07/2008

Boris Johnson's Deputy for Policing refused to rule out cutting the number of police officers in London today after £12 million of cuts were announced across the GLA. Speaking at today's Budget and Performance Committee, Kit Malthouse told the assembly that 'throwing money' at policing was not the best way of improving the service. Proof of this was contained within the new Mayor's guidance published...

The hypocrisies of the liberal establishment

Aaronovitch Watch (Free subscription) | yesterday

As it seems that comments are now well and truly running ahead of whatever we post on here, I may as well just put up specific posts where you can leave on-topic comments. So today Nick Cohen, Anthony Browne, and political correctness. Some notes: I first met Anthony Browne, Boris Johnson's new policy director, in the newsroom of The Observer in 2002. ... I realised my mistake when he

Nick Boles blames Law for botched appointments

Tory Troll (Free subscription) | yesterday

After failed attempts to blame the Church of England, Lynton Crosby and some vast left-wing conspiracy, for the botched appointments of Ray Lewis and Simon Milton, the Tories have now decided to blame the law itself. Speaking to the London Assembly today, Boris Johnson's interim Chief of Staff and one-time Mayoral candidate Nick Boles said that: "We did the best we could in an unsatisfactory situation...

Johnson Sets Out Budget Priorities

MayorWatch (Free subscription) | yesterday

Boris Johnson today said preventing youth crime, delivering value for money and improving the quality of life of all Londoners will be at the centre of his first budget.

• Mayor's budget priorities: Youth crime, quality of life and value for money - Greater London Authority news

City Hall Champions Electric Vehicles

MayorWatch (Free subscription) | yesterday

Boris Johnson has announced plans to increase the number of electric cars in the capital by ensuring a greater number of charging points and encouraging local councils to reduce parking fees.

Kate Hoey under pressure

Slugger O'Toole (Free subscription) | 22/07/2008

Things have come to a pretty pass when that doughty daughter of Ulster, Labour MP Kate Hoey is defended by the Conservative king of the blog Iain Dale and attacked in a Labour-looking website . Her announcement as sports adviser to the then Tory candidate for London mayor Boris Johnson can hardly have endeared her to the Labour campaign. But then she has often clashed with Labour’s sports policies...

Mayor of London trashes holidays in Cornwall, Skegness, Scotland, Bognor, Eastbourne, Norfolk Broads, Southwold etc etc

Liberal Burblings (Free subscription) | 22/07/2008

So, let's just check Boris Johnson's "global itinerary of apology" so far: Liverpool Papua New Guinea Portsmouth Norwich ...and now with one single article in the Telegraph he has more than doubled that list with: Skegness Bognor Eastbourne Cornwall Scotland The Norfolk Broads Southwold Many of those places were insulted in this single paragraph: So let me lay it on the line. Some time

Holidays abroad

Boris Johnson MP (Free subscription) | 22/07/2008

I consider it my patriotic duty to find a destination as sunny and foreign as possible. Well, my friends, it’s been nice knowing you. I like to think this column has acquired a reputation for... [Visit boris-johnson.com for the full post and more information about Boris!]

Left or right... does cycling break down along political party lines?

BBC News (Free subscription) | 22/07/2008

David Cameron and Boris Johnson are well-known Tory cyclists. Does this mean that cycling is a right-wing mode of transport? Norman Smith reports.