Boris Johnson's First Press Conference

Just back from City Hall - OK, I've idled away half an hour eating a sandwich but, listen, I've been up since 5.00 - and here's a clip of Mayor Johnson's opening address to the assembled hacks and his answer to the first question. There was a fair turnout - fifty-plus, maybe - including lots of reporters from foreign news organisations and not many from the British nationals, just the Times, the FT and me and Matthew from the Guardian. I missed his first few words because I was looking the wrong way. Or maybe he simply became manifest in some ethereal, Blond-angelic manner. Well, let's just say he looked a little pale.

And HERE'S MY RECORDING of the whole performance. I sat in the front row but, as you may notice, only had to prompt him once. Significant moments? Majoring on his youth crime initiatives, pretty much confirming that the job descriptions and salaries of his transition team will be posted on the GLA website, saying that environment issues remained important and that he'll get round to appointing a director eventually, promising that the provisional findings of the Forensic Audit Commission will be announced soon, insisting that his "New Generation Routemaster," will indeed have an open platform facility at the back and - in answer to my "classic" (his word) question 7 here - saying that he would put "the hard word" around "rich London" that he wanted donations to his Mayor's Fund for the young. More on all this to come.

Comments

[angela]

That would be very good, Dave, if he "put the hard word round rich London." REALLY GOOD.