Last week, London Assembly Member Navin Shah asked this question of London Mayor Boris Johnson:

I have been contacted by a constituent who was confused about your response on Question Time on 1st April.

You said that the Fortnum and Mason protesters (part of UKUncut) did £15,000 worth of damage whilst occupying the shop. However, a spokesperson for Fortnum & Mason confirmed at the time that the damage was minimal. How can your claim of £15,000 be substantiated?

Did Mayor Boris Johnson admit he got it wrong? Did he apologise for libelling an organisation without merit?

Of course not.

This was the written response from Boris yesterday:

The point that I was making was that the occupation of Fortnum and Mason was pure vandalism and that UK Uncut is an organisation that is supported by the Labour Party’s candidate for Mayor of London as well as a number of Labour MPs.

UK Uncut’s press release about this action stated that Fortnum and Mason was occupied because it is “a symbol of wealth and greed. It is where the Royal Family and super-rich do their weekly shop.” The fact that Fortnum and Mason is owned by a charitable foundation, provides many jobs and pays its taxes was clearly lost on these “activists”.

Once again a dishonest Boris Johnson completely avoids the question.

Reader comments

1. Liberal Conspiracy

   Mayor Boris tries to cover up lies against #UKuncut http://bit.ly/mcvOEq

2. ChinstrapMcDouchebag

   London Mayor Boris claimed @UKuncut caused £15k of damage at Fortnums. When asked to substantiate it, he fumbles. http://bit.ly/mcvOEq

3. Adam Bienkov

   London Mayor Boris claimed @UKuncut caused £15k of damage at Fortnums. When asked to substantiate it, he fumbles. http://bit.ly/mcvOEq

4. Caspar 01

   London Mayor Boris claimed @UKuncut caused £15k of damage at Fortnums. When asked to substantiate it, he fumbles. http://bit.ly/mcvOEq

5. Double.Karma

   Mayor Boris tries to cover up lies against #UKuncut http://bit.ly/mcvOEq

6. Julia Hines

   London Mayor Boris claimed @UKuncut caused £15k of damage at Fortnums. When asked to substantiate it, he fumbles. http://bit.ly/mcvOEq

7. Stew Wilson

   London Mayor Boris claimed @UKuncut caused £15k of damage at Fortnums. When asked to substantiate it, he fumbles. http://bit.ly/mcvOEq

8. ANDREW JENNINGS

   London Mayor Boris claimed @UKuncut caused £15k of damage at Fortnums. When asked to substantiate it, he fumbles. http://bit.ly/mcvOEq

9. Black and Red

   So not only is @MayorOfLondon a liar, he won't even admit it when caught out: http://bit.ly/mcvOEq #UKuncut #fortnums #solidarity

10. J-P Stacey

    London Mayor Boris claimed @UKuncut caused £15k of damage at Fortnums. When asked to substantiate it, he fumbles. http://bit.ly/mcvOEq

11. Paul Wood

    Mayor Boris tries to cover up lies against #UKuncut http://bit.ly/mcvOEq

12. Martin Day

    Mayor Boris tries to cover up lies against #UKuncut http://bit.ly/mcvOEq

13. Antony Crossfield

    London Mayor Boris claimed @UKuncut caused £15k of damage at Fortnums. When asked to substantiate it, he fumbles. http://bit.ly/mcvOEq

14. Lisa Egan

    London Mayor Boris claimed @UKuncut caused £15k of damage at Fortnums. When asked to substantiate it, he fumbles. http://bit.ly/mcvOEq

15. Richard Simcox

    Sample letter: Dear Boris, did @UKuncut cause £15k worth of damage at Fortnum and Mason or not? Yours [add name] http://is.gd/YWe7fl

16. Sam Broughton

    So not only is @MayorOfLondon a liar, he won't even admit it when caught out: http://bit.ly/mcvOEq #UKuncut #fortnums #solidarity

17. Tom Davies

    Sample letter: Dear Boris, did @UKuncut cause £15k worth of damage at Fortnum and Mason or not? Yours [add name] http://is.gd/YWe7fl

18. Eli Davies

    Sample letter: Dear Boris, did @UKuncut cause £15k worth of damage at Fortnum and Mason or not? Yours [add name] http://is.gd/YWe7fl

19. sunny hundal

    Sample letter: Dear Boris, did @UKuncut cause £15k worth of damage at Fortnum and Mason or not? Yours [add name] http://is.gd/YWe7fl

20. David Andrew

    Dear Boris, did @UKuncut cause £15k worth of damage at Fortnum and Mason or not? http://is.gd/YWe7fl

21. Rooftop Jaxx

    Sample letter: Dear Boris, did @UKuncut cause £15k worth of damage at Fortnum and Mason or not? Yours [add name] http://is.gd/YWe7fl

22. malcolm

    Sample letter: Dear Boris, did @UKuncut cause £15k worth of damage at Fortnum and Mason or not? Yours [add name] http://is.gd/YWe7fl

23. Aaron Chandra

    Sample letter: Dear Boris, did @UKuncut cause £15k worth of damage at Fortnum and Mason or not? Yours [add name] http://is.gd/YWe7fl

24. Double.Karma

    Sample letter: Dear Boris, did @UKuncut cause £15k worth of damage at Fortnum and Mason or not? Yours [add name] http://is.gd/YWe7fl

25. Juliet

    Boris tries to cover up lies against #UKuncut | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/73yOgR9 via @libcon

26. David M Gibson

    Mayor Boris tries to cover up lies against #UKuncut http://bit.ly/mcvOEq

27. Ceri

    London Mayor Boris claimed @UKuncut caused £15k of damage at Fortnums. When asked to substantiate it, he fumbles. http://bit.ly/mcvOEq

28. Owen Blacker

    London Mayor Boris claimed @UKuncut caused £15k of damage at Fortnums. When asked to substantiate it, he fumbles. http://bit.ly/mcvOEq

29. TogetherForTransport

    So not only is @MayorOfLondon a liar, he won't even admit it when caught out: http://bit.ly/mcvOEq #UKuncut #fortnums #solidarity

30. George Woods

    So not only is @MayorOfLondon a liar, he won't even admit it when caught out: http://bit.ly/mcvOEq #UKuncut #fortnums #solidarity

31. David Poole

    Sample letter: Dear Boris, did @UKuncut cause £15k worth of damage at Fortnum and Mason or not? Yours [add name] http://is.gd/YWe7fl

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