London spending News

When Boris Johnson was re-elected mayor ten months ago, he promised to dedicate himself to London and to Londoners. But today he's being accused of shirking that duty by devolving his power to his staff. There are complaints that he's not taking his job seriously. Simon Harris reports.

• Politics
• Boris Johnson
• spending

London mayor Boris Johnson is at the centre of a new row about whether he works hard enough. Opposition politicians on the London Assembly have accused him of abdicating responsibility for important decisions.

The mayor has changed the rules to give unelected officials a greater say at City Hall. He has to approve any decision which involves spending above £50,000 but the threshold is now being raised to £125,000. Labour's Len Duvall said: "Boris's attention seems to be increasingly elsewhere."

Boris Johnson has previously come under fire from his critics for accepting a £250,000 a year contract to write a weekly column for the Daily Telegraph. The mayor was speaking at a property conference on the French Riviera this lunchtime and was unavailable for comment.

• Politics
• Boris Johnson
• spending

Jules Pipe, the chair of the London Councils, has warned that the Government cannot keep cutting the local government funding to the capital. He says London will need more money to build new primary schools and increase housing.

• UK
• Jules Pipe
• councils