Johnson defends 'chicken-feed' job

Published on Monday 13 July 2009 22:43

LONDON mayor Boris Johnson has dismissed the £250,000-a-year he earns from a controversial second job as "chicken feed".

He insisted also that it was "wholly reasonable" for him to write newspaper columns on the side. But his comments are unlikely to please Conservative Party leader David Cameron, who has ordered members of the shadow cabinet to give up non-parliamentary work in the run-up to the general election.

Mr Johnson, who is paid nearly 140,000 as mayor, responded "it's chicken feed" when quizzed over his lucrative contract with the Daily Telegraph.

Pressed on whether voters would agree with that, Mr Johnson, who is not a member of the shadow cabinet, said he was being "frivolous". But he added: "I write extremely fast. I don't see why on a Sunday morning I shouldn't knock off an article … I make a substantial donation to charity. Maybe you'd rather I didn't make those contributions to charity."

Mr Johnson donates 50,000 from his annual fee to charities.