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Prince congratulates Boris ... but there's no word from Gordon yet
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor13.05.08
The Prince of Wales has congratulated Boris Johnson on his election as Mayor - but Gordon Brown has yet to pick up the phone, the Standard can reveal.
Prince Charles's "warm" regards, in a handwritten letter to Mr Johnson, contrast with the Prime Minister's failure to contact him 11 days after his victory.
The heir to the throne, who shared the Henley MP's opposition to the foxhunting ban, is the most senior figure to get in touch following the defeat of Ken Livingstone on 1 May.
Communities Secretary Hazel Blears, who has responsibility for local government, telephoned the new Mayor and he has received a "gracious" handwritten letter from another senior minister.
Olympics minister Tessa Jowell will meet Mr Johnson formally for the first time tomorrow when the pair discuss the plans for the 2012 Games in the capital. Overseas figures have also sent their congratulations, with New York mayor Michael Bloomberg one of the first to call on election night.
But in an echo of his refusal to congratulate SNP leader Alex Salmond until long after his election as First Minister of Scotland last year, Mr Brown has yet to call the Mayor.
Mr Johnson said Mr Brown's frostiness was at odds with the approach of Londoners he meets around the city, with even those who did not vote for him offering their best wishes.
Mr Johnson said that he was "not surprised" that the premier had failed to get in touch because he had heard that Mr Brown had been "gutted at the grievous loss" of London to the Conservatives. Claiming that Number 10 was now copying Tory policies just as Mr Livingstone had sought to steal his own ideas, Mr Johnson joked: "Brown is bobbing in our wake like a cork."
One City Hall source said: "It's becoming embarrassing now. When is Gordon going to swallow his pride, do the honourable thing and make the call?"
The Prince's intervention underlines his keen interest in politics and his affection for Mr Johnson. His letter is understood to refer to the importance of the office of Mayor of London.
Mr Brown's behaviour is sure to be seized on by Tories as proof of his "character" problems and comes amid a war of words within Labour over his personality. Labour MP Frank Field came under fire from Education Secretary Ed Balls yesterday for attacking the Prime Minister, and No 10 was forced to deny Cherie Blair's suggestion that Mr Brown may have leaked news of her pregnancy with Leo.
Former deputy prime minister John Prescott also referred in a new memoir to Mr Brown being "prickly" and frequently in a bad mood over his poor relations with Tony Blair.
Downing Street said Mr Brown had congratulated Mr Johnson publicly, including in the Commons and in TV interviews. A spokesman said Mr Brown would make contact with the Mayor "when they have matters to discuss".
However, when the Mayor appeared at Prime Minister's Questions last week, Mr Brown stopped short of congratulating him and merely said that he welcomed his appearance in the Commons.
It took Mr Brown four weeks to telephone Mr Salmond with his congratulations after the Scottish Parliamentary elections last summer.
Reader views (8)
Guess he's got other things to worry about than congratulating Boris on his new job (like losing his own).
- Samantha, London UK
Oh yes jolly good show old chap. I say, all those labour types who get their hands dirty with "work" are so beastly. Far better to be born, to breathe, and to have everything come naturally to you just like his majesty Prince Charles.
DO something? Dream of changing something? What are you talking about old bean?
If England's dying Tory monarchist elite hadn't abolished London's democratic government in the first place and opposed setting up the position of Mayor in the 1990s they might sound more convincing when they enthuse about the mayor today.
The truth is that in their advanced state of decadent cultural decline they have become ideologically opposed to government itself. All that interests them now is power for power's sake.
- James, London
Ach, Big Broon will be in a strop about Boris and won't lift the phone.
Broon took the huff when Alex Salmond and the Scottish National Party threw out the Labour party in Scotland a year ago and didn't lift the phone then.
And he still can't come to terms with the SNP forming the government in Scotland!
Ah but it'll soon get through that he's not wanted either side of the border.
- W Hutchison, Luss, Republic of Scotland
Perhaps Mr Brown could congratulate Boris at Prime Minister's Questions tomorrow
Bet he doesn't
- Paul Wilson, Bristol
Well done Boris and good on Prince of Wales - both highly respected and decent people.
Ghastly Gordon Brown on the other hand - outrageous and disgusting behaviour not to congratulate the new Mayor. The fact Brown is sulking does not surprise me at all. He always seems to be a brooding, nasty piece of work who lacks any moral values or manners.
100% support to the Conservatives - smash those Labour crooks!
- Daniel Howard, London,UK
Gordon is a teenager. He'll stop sulking eventually and come out of his room. When he's older and wiser he'll learn about being gracious in defeat but for the moment all he can do is run roughshod.
- Jilly, London, England
To expect a surly Stalinist with attitude problems and flocks of pigeons coming home to roost to be gracious is a bit silly. I suspect it will be 'if', not 'when'.
- Retired, London, UK
As Cameron said some weeks ago, the Labour party has discovered that Brown is a loser, not a leader therefore he would hate winners like Boris.
- Tom, St. Albans
