Labour members on the London Assembly have questioned the "appropriateness" of the invitation. Len Duvall, leader of the Labour Group on the London Assembly, said: "There are serious questions as to the appropriateness of Boris Johnson taking Mr Murdoch to the Olympics. An internal City Hall investigation is still underway after it was discovered the mayor had failed to declare meetings with Mr Murdoch. I do not think it is appropriate for the mayor to be entertaining Mr Murdoch in this way."
The meetings Mr Duvall spoke off are these the ones left leaning political scrapbook blog uncovered in June 2012.
A spokesman for Boris Johnson said: "The Mayor has always said he would use the Games to shamelessly promote London as the leading business hub in Europe. "With that aim in mind he's meeting, and will continue to meet, a range of business and media executives at or on the margins of Olympic events to further London's drive for investment that will spur jobs and growth."
Chris Bryant (Lab Rhondda) had a clash on twitter saying "Boris just doesn't get it. He's i/c the Met, yet he wants to schmooze with Murdoch whilst investigation ongoing!" A Boris Johnson attack dog blasted back "U R hypocritical attacking Newsintl. with respect. Go for the Mirror! ~I dare you!" Mr Bryant pointed out "I've already criticised the Mirror. But the evidence regarding the NotW and News Corp is far more substantial". The clash continued Like many 'of your ilk' U R jumping on a popular leftie bandwagon". Mr Bryant retaliated with "Excuse me. I first asked Brooks about corrupt payments in 2003. Hardly a bandwagon". Video of that is below.
A spokesman for Boris Johnson said: "The Mayor has always said he would use the Games to shamelessly promote London as the leading business hub in Europe. "With that aim in mind he's meeting, and will continue to meet, a range of business and media executives at or on the margins of Olympic events to further London's drive for investment that will spur jobs and growth."
Speculation is that the mayor who was seen as favourite to replace David Cameron as the Leader of the Conservative party in the future is trying to keep Rupert Murdoch close by to support him for his bid. Should a vacancy happen before twenty sixteen then Mr Johnson will be out of the running as he wont be in the Commons. The other main challengers would be Foreign Secretary and the Former Tory leader William Hague and the Education Secretary and former News International journalist Michael Gove.
If Boris Johnson is on manoeuvres then he's going about it in the wrong way. As in July 2012 Mr Murdoch announced he had resigned from a string of directorships controlling his News Corporation's UK newspapers.
