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Boris Johnson evasiveness over key meetings with Murdoch shows appalling lack of respect to Londoners – Caroline Pidgeon

June 20, 2012 10:04 AM

Caroline Pidgeon

Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on reports that Boris Johnson failed to declare to the London Assembly a dinner he attended at Rupert Murdoch's home just days before the Metropolitan Police launched a new inquiry into phone hacking said:

"Boris Johnson failed to declare the hospitality he received from Rupert Murdoch in both his monthly report to the London Assembly, and in the GLA's Register of gifts and hospitality. In addition to this evasiveness he then provided a misleading written answer to a London Assembly Member."

"He cannot brush this off with the excuse that details were separately provided in a freedom of information request, the publication of which was tucked away on the GLA website back in 2011."

"The Mayor of London's failure to be totally transparent and answer questions about all the meetings he had with Rupert Murdoch and other people from News International shows an appalling lack of respect of Londoners. If Boris Johnson won't answer to the London Assembly, Lord Leveson should ask him to appear before his inquiry where the Mayor will have to answer questions under oath."

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Details of Boris Johnson's lunch with Rebekah Brooks and Will Lewis, General Manager of News International on the 14thJanuary 2011 were not declared in the Mayor's monthly report to the London Assembly, which is a statutory requirement.

http://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/mr-mqt23feb11_0.pdf

Details of Boris Johnson's dinner with Rupert Murdoch at his London home were also not declared in the monthly report.

The Mayor also failed to this declare this information in his register of gifts and hospitality:

http://www.london.gov.uk/profile/gifts-and-hospitality-register/boris-johnson?page=3

The Mayor also provided a misleading answer to a London Assembly Member on his meetings with News International.

http://mqt.london.gov.uk/mqt/public/question.do?id=40978

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