Mayor Boris vows to tackle crime

Ray Lewis and Boris Johnson meet youngsters in Dagenham

Boris Johnson today visited a fire station in east London were he talked to youngsters learning about fire fighting. During the visit he spoke of his shock on hearing that another teenager was stabbed to death on London’s streets. He said tackling youth crime was his number one priority and talked of setting up ‘boot camps’ where misbehaving youths would be able to gain academic tutoring and take part in sporting activity as part of the proposals [Daily Telegraph]. Mr Johnson said his Saturday schemes would provide youngsters who appeared likely to get into trouble with the police with “competition, discipline and punishment.” He spent nearly two hours at the fire station in Dagenham where he spoke to reporters as well as fire service personnel. Arriving by car, it was after all a long way to cycle, he stepped into the yard with his newly appointed deputy mayor for young people, Ray Lewis a former prison governor. Opposite the station a few flag waving BNP supporters heckled the new London mayor as he left. Amongst them was Richard Barnbrook who was recently elected into the London assembly. Some have already said they are not prepared to work with Barnbrook. Meanwhile a radio host has been sacked after he had urged voters to vote for Boris Johnson during a radio show. James Whale, a presenter with Talksport, said he was “deeply disappointed” at the news [BBC].