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Comment: Upgrade politics
Evening Standard21.08.08
As part of his efforts to cut back on needless extravagance at City Hall, the Mayor, Boris Johnson, made a point of travelling economy class to Beijing for the Olympics with a much smaller entourage than previously planned. BA took him at his word, and did not upgrade him to business class. Mr Johnson emerged at Beijing looking rather more crumpled than he might have done had he travelled in luxury but he has set an example of frugality in public life that we look forward to seeing others follow.
Reader views (3)
If anyone from his party develops a hint of a DVT over the following years, they will be able to sue the City Hall for unlimited damages. It will wipe-out any of these minor savings made - many times over...
- Didi, London, UK
As Boris is paid very well as Mayor of London and gets 250K from the Telegraph for his weekly column, surely he could afford to pay for his own upgrade.
- Connie Black, Chiswick
Well done Boris for opting for economy. However his frugality becomes laughable if it is then followed by the words, 'He expected to be upgraded to Business and was disappointed not to be'. It's just like Dave Camoron posing on a Cornish beach and pretending to be normal before jetting off to a luxury resort for the rest of his holiday. The whole of Tory policy now seems to consist of obvious publicity stunts.
- Hugh Leader, Chiswick
