Labour MP clarifies Boris job

Labour MP and former sports minister Kate Hoey has sought to clarify her role advising Boris Johnson if he became mayor.

The Vauxhall MP's potential role led to speculation she might defect and back the Conservative candidate.

However Hoey later denied that she will be working for Johnson's administration or that she endorses the Tory candidate.

She said she had agreed to work as an unpaid non-executive director advising on sport and the 2012 Olympics on a "non-partisan" basis.

Hoey said: "The key part of the Boris Johnson statement - ie, that I will be the first member of his administration - is wrong.

"I have simply agreed to act in a similar position, for example, to Conservative MPs John Bercow and Patrick Mercer - in that I have said that I will advise on a non-partisan basis in respect of my lifetime commitment to bringing sport to the people of London.

"This is not an endorsement of Boris Johnson for mayor. I will be voting for my party and Labour candidates on Thursday."

Last week speculation grew that Hoey could back the Tory candidate has been rife since she was scheduled to appear alongside him at a campaign event last week but pulled out, blaming ill health.

Sources within the campaign said they did not expect her to quit as a Labour MP and Johnson said he was pleased to be constructing a potential administration from "across politics".

Johnson said: "I am delighted to announce that Kate Hoey will join me in my administration if I win on May 1.

"She and I agree that there is much more that can be done to promote sport and to develop sporting facilities across London.

"I have already pledged to ring-fence London Development Agency money for sport, and if I am lucky enough to win she will be working on an agenda that includes protecting playing fields, boosting sports clubs and making sure that London's kids all benefit from the Olympics."

He went on: "Kate has a huge and well-known commitment to sport and to London, and I am determined to bring talent from across politics and the community to a new administration."

Hoey complained in January about a lack of scrutiny of Livingstone's City Hall advisers and a "cult of silence" which stopped people speaking out about alleged malpractice.

"There has been a cult of silence because... every time anyone raises a criticism you are either branded as being racist or being pro-Boris Johnson," she said.

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