That's alright then

The Times reports that Boris Johnson has been accused of cronyism in trying to appoint Veronica Wadley, formerly editor of the Boris-supporting Evening Standard to an Arts Council post, although she was judged to be "manifestly less qualified than three of her competitors".

At the end of the piece comes a carefully considered piece of defensive spin from Wadley:

A source close to Ms Wadley pointed out that a second civil servant, working alongside Mr Johnson, approved the appointment and Ms Forgan “is a leftie”.

Boris takes it badly

James McGrath, the adviser that Boris Johnson has apparently sacked, doesn't seem to have done anything too wrong. According to the Times, it was put to him

that Mr Johnson’s win could result in the departure of many older Caribbean immigrants from the capital. According to Marc Wadsworth, the anti-racism campaigner writing on the internet news site www.the-latest.com, Mr McGrath replied: “Well, let them go if they don’t like it here.”

It's easily construed as telling black people to leave but it's very different to answer someone else's suggestion that people might want to leave than to suggest it yourself. Anyone should be free to leave the country if they don't like it.

The Times story has a bit of spin from Boris, attempting to gain the moral high ground:

The Times understands that he was also motivated in part by an intention to show distinct differences between his administration and that of his predecessor, Ken Livingstone.

This translates as: Boris invited us to compare his actions in this with Ken Livingstone, who wasn't so good. Meanwhile, on Comment is Free, Tristram Hunt says Boris is doing alright and Ken should get over it.

A non defection

Meanwhile Labour MP Kate Hoey has rubbished Boris Johnson's claims that she is to defect and/or join his team if he become London Mayor.

I'm not sure Hoey joining the Tories would count as a defection. Toeing the Labour party line might.