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| Version 14 | Version 15 |
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| Boris Johnson standing for mayor | Boris Johnson standing for mayor |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Boris Johnson has entered the race to be the Conservative candidate for London mayor in next year's election. | Boris Johnson has entered the race to be the Conservative candidate for London mayor in next year's election. |
| Mr Johnson, one of the best-known MPs, has confirmed that he wants to take on Labour's Ken Livingstone. | Mr Johnson, one of the best-known MPs, has confirmed that he wants to take on Labour's Ken Livingstone. |
| Surrounded by a media scrum as he pushed his bike outside City Hall, he said he was "thrilled and excited". | Surrounded by a media scrum as he pushed his bike outside City Hall, he said he was "thrilled and excited". |
| About 50 people have applied to be Tory candidate. The party will now draw up a short list, with Londoners then able to vote to select who is Tory candidate. | About 50 people have applied to be Tory candidate. The party will now draw up a short list, with Londoners then able to vote to select who is Tory candidate. |
| Mr Johnson, speaking among a throng of photographers and reporters in chaotic scenes, praised London as a "fantastic city" and said being mayor would be a "wonderful chance to serve London". | Mr Johnson, speaking among a throng of photographers and reporters in chaotic scenes, praised London as a "fantastic city" and said being mayor would be a "wonderful chance to serve London". |
| 'Fresh ideas' | 'Fresh ideas' |
| He has resigned as shadow minister for higher education, but he is to remain MP for Henley. | He has resigned as shadow minister for higher education, but he is to remain MP for Henley. |
| He added: "I have been overwhelmed by the support I have received from so many people across London." | He added: "I have been overwhelmed by the support I have received from so many people across London." |
| So, the trick to becoming London mayor is to be known - like Becks, Kylie, Caprice, Gazza - by just the one name BBC News website political correspondent Nick Assinder Analysis: A serious contender? | So, the trick to becoming London mayor is to be known - like Becks, Kylie, Caprice, Gazza - by just the one name BBC News website political correspondent Nick Assinder Analysis: A serious contender? |
| "London is an outstandingly varied and beautiful place and it deserves a proper debate. I want to bring fresh ideas to the capital and offer a new direction for Londoners. | "London is an outstandingly varied and beautiful place and it deserves a proper debate. I want to bring fresh ideas to the capital and offer a new direction for Londoners. |
| "I believe that the Mayor of London should keep things simple and direct his or her intellectual energy at the core problems that affect people's everyday lives." | "I believe that the Mayor of London should keep things simple and direct his or her intellectual energy at the core problems that affect people's everyday lives." |
| "Even the greatest cities have further greatness in them. I will stand for a greater London and for putting the smile back on London's face," said Mr Johnson. | "Even the greatest cities have further greatness in them. I will stand for a greater London and for putting the smile back on London's face," said Mr Johnson. |
| High profile | High profile |
| Private Eye editor Ian Hislop, with whom the MP has appeared on the BBC satirical show Have I Got News For You, said: "It's good news for comedy, if not for London. | |
| "I just think it'll make life much more interesting." | |
| The confirmation of Mr Johnson's candidacy brings to an end a long search by the Conservatives for a big name candidate with a realistic chance of beating Ken Livingstone. | |
| Previous possible runners have included Greg Dyke, Digby Jones, Nick Ferrari, Lord Stevens and Sir John Major. | Previous possible runners have included Greg Dyke, Digby Jones, Nick Ferrari, Lord Stevens and Sir John Major. |
| Mr Livingstone - who was elected London's first mayor as an independent and then won a second term after being allowed back into the Labour Party - has said he wants a third term. | Mr Livingstone - who was elected London's first mayor as an independent and then won a second term after being allowed back into the Labour Party - has said he wants a third term. |
| I think taking on Ken would be the kind of 'big beast' challenge that would be very attractive to Boris Ed VaizeyTory MP Boris in the news | I think taking on Ken would be the kind of 'big beast' challenge that would be very attractive to Boris Ed VaizeyTory MP Boris in the news |
| Like Mr Johnson the current mayor is a politician with a high media and public profile. | Like Mr Johnson the current mayor is a politician with a high media and public profile. |
| A Conservative Party spokeswoman said the party would not comment on Mr Johnson's application - or the other contenders who have applied to be the party's candidate. | A Conservative Party spokeswoman said the party would not comment on Mr Johnson's application - or the other contenders who have applied to be the party's candidate. |
| But Tory MP Ed Vaizey, who is close to Mr Johnson and Mr Cameron, said a contest between Mr Johnson and Mr Livingstone would be "electric" and would boost voter turnout. | But Tory MP Ed Vaizey, who is close to Mr Johnson and Mr Cameron, said a contest between Mr Johnson and Mr Livingstone would be "electric" and would boost voter turnout. |
| "Boris finds it quite hard to resist a challenge and I think taking on Ken would be the kind of 'big beast' challenge that would be very attractive to Boris," he told the BBC. | "Boris finds it quite hard to resist a challenge and I think taking on Ken would be the kind of 'big beast' challenge that would be very attractive to Boris," he told the BBC. |
| The party says it will not name candidates yet - it will be up to them to promote themselves. | The party says it will not name candidates yet - it will be up to them to promote themselves. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Anyone but Ken as far as I am concerned Darryl Davies, London Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY Anyone but Ken as far as I am concerned Darryl Davies, London Send us your comments |
| They will be considered by a committee who will put forward about ten candidates for interview by an electoral college of London Conservatives this weekend. | They will be considered by a committee who will put forward about ten candidates for interview by an electoral college of London Conservatives this weekend. |
| The Conservatives will now draw up a shortlist of between two and five candidates to go forward to an "open primary" of all London voters, closing on 26 September. | The Conservatives will now draw up a shortlist of between two and five candidates to go forward to an "open primary" of all London voters, closing on 26 September. |
| The winner is likely to be announced at the end of September. | The winner is likely to be announced at the end of September. |
| 'Invigorating and liberated' | 'Invigorating and liberated' |
| Mr Johnson had been shadow higher education minister before launching his mayoral bid, and was previously editor of the Spectator magazine. | Mr Johnson had been shadow higher education minister before launching his mayoral bid, and was previously editor of the Spectator magazine. |
| He has been a frequent guest on television shows such as Have I Got News for You, and has come under fire in Liverpool and Portsmouth for critical comments he made about the cities. | He has been a frequent guest on television shows such as Have I Got News for You, and has come under fire in Liverpool and Portsmouth for critical comments he made about the cities. |
| If you can't have characters standing who are willing to speak their mind, then it would be a sadder place Simon HughesEx-Lib Dem candidate | If you can't have characters standing who are willing to speak their mind, then it would be a sadder place Simon HughesEx-Lib Dem candidate |
| Responding to the news, Mr Livingstone attacked Mr Johnson's record on voting in the House of Commons, and said he would be "seriously damaging for London". | Responding to the news, Mr Livingstone attacked Mr Johnson's record on voting in the House of Commons, and said he would be "seriously damaging for London". |
| "He did not bother to vote in the House of Commons to defend the Freedom Pass for free travel for older people," he said. | "He did not bother to vote in the House of Commons to defend the Freedom Pass for free travel for older people," he said. |
| "He did not even bother to vote on the Parliamentary Bill in favour of Crossrail - the most important transport project for London." | "He did not even bother to vote on the Parliamentary Bill in favour of Crossrail - the most important transport project for London." |
| The Liberal Democrat candidate last time round, Simon Hughes, welcomed Mr Johnson's decision to stand. | The Liberal Democrat candidate last time round, Simon Hughes, welcomed Mr Johnson's decision to stand. |
| He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "The reality is that the capital city is the most liberated and free-speaking place in the country and it's almost certainly the most invigorating and liberated city in western Europe if not in the world. | He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "The reality is that the capital city is the most liberated and free-speaking place in the country and it's almost certainly the most invigorating and liberated city in western Europe if not in the world. |
| "Therefore if you can't have characters standing who are willing to speak their mind, then it would be a sadder place." | "Therefore if you can't have characters standing who are willing to speak their mind, then it would be a sadder place." |