Boris slams BBC over Thatcher
Boris Johnson has slammed the BBC for sacking Carol Thatcher.
The former Prime Minister's daughter was fired for using racist language off-camera before a recording of The One Show. The BBC insist she was sacked for refusing to apologise, but Johnson thinks they were too heavy-handed.
Speaking to Nick Ferrari at Breakfast on LBC 97.3, the Mayor of London said: “Do you know, I think this is a controversy that could rubble on without my input, but I might as well just say what I think.
"I don’t think she should have been fired. The way to deal with it is, if someone says something a bit offensive in a green room and you’re the producer of the show and everybody else has taken umbrage, is to take that person on one side and say, ‘Listen you’ve got to understand we’ve got to work together and you’ve got watch what you say and you’ve got to be sensitive’.
"But I don’t think you fire someone. I really don’t."
Johnson also criticised the London taxi drivers who brought London to a halt on Thursday. Black cabs blocked The Mall in protest at a new minicab scheme in central London that they believe will affect their livelihood.
But the Mayor believes that the drivers were wrong to protest and the scheme will only be used for pre-booked minicabs.
Johnson said: "I don’t think they should be striking and paralysing London in the way that they do. Let’s work together to sort out the issue of illegal cab drivers. Let’s crack down on them, let’s get them off the road and no, I don’t want to see them touting and picking up without pre-booking, that is absolutely wrong. We will not tolerate picking up without pre-booking.
"As for this rank that is the subject of the dispute, it’s between Westminster Council and the LTDA (London Taxi Drivers Association). I want to just point out it is not in theory or principle a taxi rank, it’s where you’re meant to go to pick up pre-booked passengers.
"If the mini cabs are abusing that privilege, then they will have their licenses taken away immediately.”
Listen to the interview in full with LBC Podcasts
Image: Yui Mok/Press Association