Mayor of London Boris Johnson will fight to hold onto his City Hall office in May, but a look through his inbox shows the job is not all about high-powered politics in one of the worldโs largest cities.
Requests to join Army paratroopers on a skydive and to pen his favourite recipe have landed in Johnsonโs inbox since he became mayor of London. Johnson has also been asked about โBoris bikesโ for district nurses, while a survivor of the July 7 terrorist attacks got in touch wanting to be involved at the Olympic Games.
The mayor also receives strong criticism from some and fan mail from others, with one writer enjoying Johnsonโs โstraight-to-the-point and believable attitudeโ and concluding โhopefully (we) will see you some day at No 10โ.
A Freedom of Information request for copies of emails sent to and from Johnsonโs official City Hall account reveal how the mayorโs office takes an interest in the minutiae of public services across London.
The mayor said London Underground was โunlikelyโ to sanction a request for accredited buskers to sell their CDs and other merchandise in Tube stations on September 10 last year.
However, Johnson was more receptive to the idea of extra docking stations for his bicycle-hire scheme being installed in locations convenient for district nurses in Islington.
The emails show how Johnson has split public opinion since becoming mayor in May 2008.
In September of that year, a supporter based in Northern Ireland told Johnson: โOf late I have come to admire your straight-to- the-point and believable attitude that you put across with the greatest of ease and in such a unique and fun fashionโฆ
โIโฆ can only dream of someone somewhere entering into local politics here with the Boris attitude and help make a difference.
โI look forward to seeing you go from strength to strength, and hopefully will see you some day at No 10 and we will then finally have a PM that is worth his salt.โ
But others were not so effusive in their praise of Johnson, with one critic writing: โDear Boris, please resign. You (are) clever and funny and that, but to be honest, it ainโt enough. You are a bad Mayor and should leave quicklyโฆ
โAll the best in your new job (so long as it doesnโt involve power or the UK).โ
A number of Johnsonโs replies reveal how hectic a schedule he keeps. The phrase โI am alas snowed under, and mustnโt take anything else on at the momentโ crops up in a number of his responses.
Johnson replied to a questionnaire about London and his role by saying the task was โvery, very difficultโ but โeasily the best job I have ever hadโ.
Leave a Comment