Boris Johnson was in Sutton this morning talking police, his recent controversial comments about Nick Clegg and bringing the tram to Sutton.
The Mayor of London was in the High Street observing how police officers wearing body cameras can help fight crime.
Boris with Borough Commander Guy Ferguson
He was keen to talk about the tram and said if people want the tram to come to Sutton they need to ask for it.
He said: “I was giving a speech at the top of [the High Street]and said ‘right we are going to bring the tram to Sutton’ and I said ‘who wants the tram?’
“One person put up their hand and said ‘I don’t’.”
Coincidentally Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is also visiting Sutton today – just days after Boris called him a ‘lapdog of David Cameron’ who was preventing the Government from making ‘sensible policy’.
Mr Johnson laughed when he heard Mr Clegg was also visiting and said: “I take it back. I compared him to the Emperor Valerian who was skinned and hung on a wall.”
When asked if he would like that to happen to Mr Clegg, Boris responded: “I don’t know. I don’t want to be too abusive about the poor fellow – I’m sure he will get a warm welcome in Sutton.”
Mr Johnson complimented the local police force and added: “They are leading the way with the cameras and we are hoping to reel them out across London.
“I complimented officers here on what they have been doing. If you look at their record on the whole they are doing really good.”
Mr Johnson and Home Office Minister Damian Green MP patrolled the High Street with officers wearing the devices on their uniforms.
The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) has funded 20 small cameras in Sutton to tackle anti-social behaviour and record responses to domestic violence incidents.
Boris talks to a little girl on the High Street
Sutton Borough Commander Detective Chief Superintendent Guy Ferguson said: “We were delighted to receive a visit from the Mayor of London in support of our continuing borough-wide initiative against violent crime in the street and in homes.
“The use of body worn cameras is one of the innovative ways we are working to prevent and reduce violent crime even further in Sutton, which is already a low crime borough and one of the safest boroughs in London.“
In 2012/13, MOPAC funded the Sutton Business Crime Reduction Partnership as part of its £18m London Crime Prevention Fund providing grants to local projects tackling crime across the capital. In the last year crime in Sutton has been cut by eight per cent.
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