Jowell dismisses Johnson as 'a joke'

The minister for London has described Conservative mayoral candidate Boris Johnson as a "joke".

 

In an interview with ePolitix.com, Tessa Jowell said that Thursday's election was vital for the future of the city.

 

She said: "London is one of the greatest cities in the world and the challenge is to make it an even better city for Londoners to live in.

 

"In terms of London's economy, transport, crime, the things that people really care about, London has a choice between a mayor whose competence is proven, who has brought untold benefits to London and a Conservative candidate who is really just a bit of a joke.

 

"One young man put it very well on Question Time last week when he said to Boris: 'can't you answer any questions and can you tell us what you are going to do for London?' And the answer is no."

 

She also denied that Ken Livingstone's campaign had lacked energy.

 

"I think that you have got to understand that this has been an under the radar street campaign.

 

"This has not been a campaign that has been fought out in the newspapers and on the media, this has been a campaign that has been fought on the doorsteps of London, on the shopping streets of London and at the bus stops and Tube stations.

 

"I think it has been the biggest doorstep campaign Labour has ever conducted in the capital and certainly the biggest for a very long time.

 

"On the last Saturday of the campaign we had literally thousands of campaigners out across the city and over the final period they will be distributing over four million messages about the risk to London that Boris Johnson poses to London.

 

"So it has been a local campaign, perhaps not visible to the Westminster-based media but out there on the doorsteps it has been one of the most vigorous campaigns we have ever fought," Jowell said.