Email from London mayor’s chief of staff reportedly told the team to either back Johnson’s stance on the EU referendum or not openly contradict it

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Boris Johnson’s senior officials were told to either back the London mayor’s stance on the EU referendum or keep their views to themselves, according to reports.



Deputy mayors and senior advisers were allegedly told to “advocate the mayor’s position or otherwise not openly to contradict it”, in an email seen by the BBC.

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Sent by the mayor’s chief of staff Sir Edward Lister, it advises some of Johnson’s closest colleagues.

Johnson came out in support of the leave campaign two weeks ago, in conflict with his own party leader David Cameron.

He also criticised the suspension of John Longworth from his role as the director general of the British Chambers of Commerce after he backed Brexit, saying he had been “crushed by the agents of Project Fear”.

His spokesman said the advice applied only when staff were on “official business” and not in their personal lives.

A photograph of the email, thought to have been sent on 4 March, on the BBC website shows Lister explain that “GLA [Greater London authority] officers, can, when not at work, express personal opinions (which may be contrary to the mayor’s views)”.

The message then reads: “Whilst this is the formal position for you also, I would expect, given your roles, you either to advocate the mayor’s position or otherwise not openly to contradict it.”

The mayor’s official spokesman said: “The mayor is relaxed about any of his team of advisers in a personal capacity campaigning for or supporting either side in the EU referendum.

“He wants to see an open and inclusive debate and recognises that some of his advisers have differing views to those he holds.

“In his role as chief of staff, Ed Lister advised the team that as official mayoral policy is now to support the case for leaving the EU, they are requested to support that position when undertaking official city hall business.

“The advice is in line with that issued by the GLA’s statutory officers.”