Peter Parka
Well-Known Member
Mayor's £250,000 'chicken feed'
London Mayor Boris Johnson has described his £250,000-a-year pay for a weekly column for the Daily Telegraph as "chicken feed".
He told the BBC's Hard Talk programme that it was wholly reasonable for him take the second salary in addition to about £140,000 he gets as mayor.
He added: "Of course I make a substantial donation to charity".
His comments came as Tory leader David Cameron asked shadow cabinet members to give up their second jobs by December.
“ I don't see why on a Sunday morning I shouldn't knock off an article - if someone wants to pay me for that article then that's their lookout ”
Mayor Boris Johnson
When asked about the pay for the articles Mr Johnson said: "It's chicken feed.
"I think that frankly there's absolutely no reason at all why I should not knock off an article as a way of relaxation.
"I write anyway, I happen to write extremely fast.
"I don't see why on a Sunday morning I shouldn't knock off an article - if someone wants to pay me for that article then that's their lookout and of course I make a substantial donation to charity.
'Out of touch'
"Maybe that money shouldn't go to charity, maybe you'd rather I didn't make those contributions to charity," he added.
When asked if his actions contradicted Mr Cameron's stand on second jobs, the mayor said: "Well I'm not a member of his shadow cabinet and I'd like to see what the detail of that is."
Liberal Democrat frontbencher Norman Baker criticised the mayor for dismissing his second salary.
"There is nothing wrong with people writing newspaper columns, but this is an enormous amount of money and for Boris Johnson to dismiss it as 'chicken feed' shows just how out of touch he and the Conservative party are from the reality of life for millions of Londoners struggling to make ends meet in the depths of a recession."
Story from BBC NEWS:
I feel ashamed that I supported this guy, so far he's banned alcohol on the tube and claimed for a memorial day wreath on expenses, now this!, piss off Boris!
London Mayor Boris Johnson has described his £250,000-a-year pay for a weekly column for the Daily Telegraph as "chicken feed".
He told the BBC's Hard Talk programme that it was wholly reasonable for him take the second salary in addition to about £140,000 he gets as mayor.
He added: "Of course I make a substantial donation to charity".
His comments came as Tory leader David Cameron asked shadow cabinet members to give up their second jobs by December.
“ I don't see why on a Sunday morning I shouldn't knock off an article - if someone wants to pay me for that article then that's their lookout ”
Mayor Boris Johnson
When asked about the pay for the articles Mr Johnson said: "It's chicken feed.
"I think that frankly there's absolutely no reason at all why I should not knock off an article as a way of relaxation.
"I write anyway, I happen to write extremely fast.
"I don't see why on a Sunday morning I shouldn't knock off an article - if someone wants to pay me for that article then that's their lookout and of course I make a substantial donation to charity.
'Out of touch'
"Maybe that money shouldn't go to charity, maybe you'd rather I didn't make those contributions to charity," he added.
When asked if his actions contradicted Mr Cameron's stand on second jobs, the mayor said: "Well I'm not a member of his shadow cabinet and I'd like to see what the detail of that is."
Liberal Democrat frontbencher Norman Baker criticised the mayor for dismissing his second salary.
"There is nothing wrong with people writing newspaper columns, but this is an enormous amount of money and for Boris Johnson to dismiss it as 'chicken feed' shows just how out of touch he and the Conservative party are from the reality of life for millions of Londoners struggling to make ends meet in the depths of a recession."
Story from BBC NEWS:
I feel ashamed that I supported this guy, so far he's banned alcohol on the tube and claimed for a memorial day wreath on expenses, now this!, piss off Boris!
