Boris Watch

Paul Waugh at his Evening Standard blog:
“Insiders claim that Mr Boles was closely involved in the appointment of each of the three figures who have been forced to quit - former Deputy Mayor Ray Lewis, former deputy chief of staff James McGrath and now Tim Parker. I’m told that a power struggle with Sir Simon [...]

Nick Boles faces the London Assembly:
“The laws should be changed…”
“I didn’t read the Widdecombe provisions, I have no intention of ever reading the Widdecombe provisions…”
He was advised as to their content, apparently.
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Boris has claimed that the transition team has eventually cost £213,000, which, he is keen to add, is significantly less than the previous prediction. However, he also admits that seven seemingly unacknowledged ‘transition consultants’ have cost £352,000. The eventual figure - which has only now been revealed - is greater than the combined annual wages [...]

I’ve been dashing through Boris’s answers to the questions of the London Assembly, and this caught my eye:
John Biggs:
“Do you agree with David Cameron that individuals with any ‘dealings’ in Zimbambwe should examine their conscience? Can you confirm if any of your Mayoral team or advisers who hold shares (either personally or in trust) in [...]

Anthony Browne is to become Boris’s new ‘Policy Director’, and the Mayor has excitedly announced his arrival:
“I am delighted that Anthony is joining my team at City Hall. As a policy expert in the fields of environment, health and politics for the influential Policy Exchange and a former journalist on the Times and Observer, I [...]

Following the speculation of today, Simon Milton has resigned from both of his posts, and has been nominated as Deputy Mayor for Policy and Planning. He will regain his salary and join the swelling ranks at City Hall.
The Press release reads thus:
“Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has today nominated Sir Simon Milton as Deputy Mayor [...]

Boris’s controversy-ridden administration was today dealt another blow as the London Assembly voted unanimously to investigate his appointments of staff and consultants at City Hall.
The investigation will be carried out by the Business Management and Administration Committee, and they will be focusing on four questions:

How did Mayor Boris Johnson pick his senior City Hall policy [...]

Dave Hill reports on the complete lack of the promised new, tough transparency on the financial interests of the Mayor’s most senior appointment, Tim Parker, First Deputy Mayor.
His manifesto on accountability promised to "Introduce tough new rules for Mayoral advisers to ensure their interests are declared and in the open" (page 3) and "Strengthen the [...]

Dave writes that, contrary to previous reports, Tim Parker - the man holding Boris’s right hand - will not submit a Register of Interest to the GLA website. Simon Barnes and Kit Malthouse have already, but it seems that Parker - “one of the UK’s most successful businessmen with an impressive track record in a [...]

Remember the Forensic Audit Panel? They’re Boris’ crack squad of independent figures appointed to root through the previous regime’s finances - two of whom lead Tory Councils. And, it emerges, a third is simply a party member:
Patience Wheatcroft
1(a)(ii)(cc) – I am a member of or hold a position of general control or management of the [...]