Boris Johnson Says Sorry To Black Communities

I haven't seen it yet, but someone who has just phoned to say that the latest New Nation carries an interview with Johnson in which he - at last - offers a heartfelt apology for that "watermelon smiles" stuff. Doesn't seem to be online yet so now I'm off to shop to try and buy one...

UPDATE: One of the many benefits of living in Deepest Hackney is that there's always a New Nation in the corner shop when you need one. The interview with Johnson is revealing. Let me pick out some choice quotes:

"I've thought about this a good deal and I don't think it's good enough just to say you've got to be completely colour blind and pretend the problem doesn't exist. It does exist. Some citizens have had hundreds of years of discrimination and prejudice. you've got to tackle this."

"I think if you've got equally qualified candidates [for a job] one black and one white, then for me i would want to appoint someone from a community that needs support and encouragement. If I'm lucky enough to be elected, you'll see that in my administration."

"My vision for London is that I do think it is a potential model for the planet. If you think about it, mankind arose...from Africa....Everyone got divided up and nations arose and religions arose and divisions arose and what we are seeing now is a gigantic speeding-up of history and people are coming back togather, and they're discovering that the human race is really all one."

"It's take me a while to realise that people were as upset as they were. Because I wrote those words in a way that was intended to be satirical, it's taken a mental journey to understand that actually there was offence given, and it does matter. But I do understand that now and I'm sorry."

It is described as "a heartfelt plea for forgiveness," delivered with "his voice cracking with anguish." Blimey.