• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

MayorWatch

London News and Comment

  • NEWS
  • Twitter

Boris and that incomplete u-turn

July 4, 2009 - Martin Hoscik@MayorWatch

commentWhat to make of yesterday’s story that Boris Johnson is re-organising his team of appointed advisors to ensure the wider public know they’re not actually running anything?

The decision certainly brings some of that transparency Boris keeps promising to introduce to the GLA, but it’s 14 months too late and only clears up some of confusion he helped cause in the first place.

Johnson says the decision to call his advisors exactly that rather than directors “will eliminate the potential for confusion among external audiences who would generally expect a director to have line management responsibilities”.

Not much to argue with there but it’s a shame Boris seems unwilling to extended that logic to the two remaining so-called ‘deputy mayors’.

Sir Simon Milton is to become Chief of Staff, Kit Malthouse is the Deputy Chair of the MPA, both job titles convey the undoubted importance of the post holder, their seniority and the Mayor’s regard for their skills so why persist with the now discredited deputy titles?

Is Boris really just too afraid to own up to an idea that didn’t work out? No politician likes to admit they got something wrong, but a Mayor who came to office promising openness and transparency shouldn’t fear admitting when things don’t work out the way they hoped.

To persist in doing otherwise in the face of obvious evidence would be to exhibit the sort of propaganda one might find in Pyongyang.

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

RECENT UPDATES

TfL and Siemens unveil new Piccadilly line Tube train designs

852 new homes to be built in Acton by Transport for London

HGV operators in London urged to apply for a Direct Vision Standard permit

TfL proposes bus and tube cuts and annual fares increases to achieve long-term financial sustainability




Popular

1,700 extra Santander Cycles are coming to London’s streets

TfL confirms changes to Older Person’s Freedom Pass and 60+ Oyster card hours

TfL fares to rise in return for £1.6bn Government rescue package

Election for Mayor of London and London Assembly postponed until 2021

FEATURED

City Hall to move to Docklands as Mayor seeks to raise £55m for frontline services

‘Concern’ over TfL’s ability to deliver major projects in wake of Crossrail cost overruns

City Hall halts London Overground ticket office closures but many will still see opening hours reduced

Transport for London confirms bus cuts will go ahead despite passenger opposition

GOT A STORY?

As the original London news and scrutiny site we've been casting an eye over the capital's public services and politicians since 1999.

 

Many of our top stories started with a tip-off from a reader - if you've got something you'd like us to cover get in touch and we'll do the rest.

Stay In Touch

  • E-mail
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2021 MayorWatch Publications Limited · MayorWatch is Registered Trademark · All Rights Reserved · Contact Us · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy

MayorWatch Publications Limited · 20-22 Wenlock Road · London N1 7GU · Company Number 6291816

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.