Boris denies 'gagging' no-show

Cable warns of housing crash

Wednesday, 02, Apr 2008 03:54

Boris Johnson's campaign team have disputed claims the Conservative MP is being kept away from voters to avoid making any fresh gaffs in the final run-up to May's election.

Mr Johnson was due to appear at a Time Out hustings tonight, alongside his major rivals Ken Livingstone and Brian Paddick.

The Conservative candidate has now pulled out of the debate, prompting speculation his campaign team have "gagged" the gaff-prone candidate.

However, Mr Johnson maintains he has a prior engagement booked to meet with newspaper editors and was disappointed Time Out changed the date of their hustings.

A spokesman for Livingstone's campaign told the Guardian: "This must be the only election where the campaign is scared of their candidate, which is why they have blocked him from appearing on Any Questions - unlike Ken and Brian Paddick - and why they have pulled him from the Time Out debate.

"Boris Johnson's minders have decided they have got to keep their candidate away from any detailed scrutiny and challenge - by his opponents, by voters and by the media."

Mr Johnson's critics claim this marks the third no-show in recent weeks by the man tipped to be the next mayor of London.

But Mr Johnson maintains it is in fact the incumbent mayor who is avoiding the public.

"I am sorry that the mayor has missed so much this year such as addressing young people in Islington about gun and knife crime, attending the Damilola Taylor Centre and important small business hustings at the Federation of Small Businesses," he said.

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