Brian Coleman Update : The Pot calls the Kettle !!!

"Do you think the food ambassador, costing us whatever it is costing us, is providing any added value for London taxpayers?" Today a London Assembly member asked Mayor Boris Johnson this question. Now I'm all for a bit of scrutiny of wasteful expenses. There are plenty of serious issues that need cash spending on them in London to solve real problems. How does a mayor decide what his priorities are? What is more important - it seems he's got a job on his hands keeping track of the allowances members receive and reminding them of their responsibility to the taxpayer. Maybe paying for a bit of back up and support to his "ambassadors" i smoney well spent, maybe not? Difficult decisions all. Who are these ambassadors and what do they do? They include former journalist Rosie Boycott, who as his unpaid food ambassador, seeks to encourage Londoners to grow their own food by turning available space into vegetable plots; and James Cleverly, the London assembly member for Bexley and Bromley, who was appointed earlier this month to lead on youth issues following the departure last summer of Ray Lewis, the deputy mayor. This role is also unpaid.

So which virtuous GLA Member saw fit to criticise the cost of these unpaid advisers. None other than the King of Bling, Brian Coleman

Now regular readers will know that I held Mr James Cleverly up as an example of a virtuous Tory and as an example to Mr Coleman. Cleverly published his expenses for the year to the GLA - nothing. He works as an ambassador to youth and gets paid - Nothing. I know Brian Coleman and his friends read this blog - one of the head honchos from Tory Central Office emailed me on his behalf. Can his comments about ambassadors be a bit of payback for James Cleverly making Coleman look foolish over his 2008 £8,500 Taxi bill to the GLA? I've no idea at all. I've been following James Cleverly's blog for a while - http://www.jamescleverly.blogspot.com/. Of all the various Tories who blog, he seems like a genuine guy, he has a sense of humour, he seems public spirited and I suspect he's someone who you could have a pint with and not be constantly checking your watch. I suppose the fact that Coleman is having a veiled go at him, only puts him up another step in my opinion.

As for Rosie Boycott. She's a major asset to Boris Johnson. She founded the feminist magazine "Spare Rib" and has a distinguished career in the male dominated world of Newspapers, being a former editor of the Independent. I've no idea what Coleman is up to, trying to wind Boris up. Has his dislike and fear of James Cleverly's example affected his judgement? I suspect Coleman may have made a big mistake, Boris is currently "The King of the Jungle", Boycott has many friends in journalism, who may well decide that Coleman needs a poke in the eye.

What was the reaction from Boris - The Guardian says :-

Stunned by the question, Johnson said out loud he detected some "disapproval" from his Tory colleague before answering: "Most of the people who have been generous and public spirited enough to work as ambassadors or whatever it happens to be are doing it without any financial consideration whatever.

In the case of Rosie Boycott she does get some support for a programme that to the best of my knowledge has so far produced 400 new growing spaces in London."

When I started this blog I decided on the title "Brian Coleman Update : The Pot calls the Kettle !!!" because it's catchy. From what I've seen, this isn't really fair to Boycott or Cleverly - apologies guys and gals. For the full article :-

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/jan/28/boris-london