United Kingdom
Labour MP may advise Johnson
By Andrew Hough
Apr 29, 2008, 16:32

LONDON (Reuters) - Labour MP and former sports minister Kate Hoey has agreed to become an adviser to London Conservative mayoral candidate Boris Johnson if he wins Thursday's election.

Johnson said the MP for Vauxhall in south London would become an unpaid sport and Olympics advisor.

He also said Hoey would become the first member of his administration if he beats incumbent Ken Livingstone but she denied she was doing anything more than offering advice.

Hoey, a former Sports and Home Office Minister during former Prime Minister Tony Blair's premiership, said it was not a personal endorsement.

But her appointment was greeted with joy from senior Tory officials and silence from Labour party figures.

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

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

Tory leader David Cameron told reporters he was delighted with the appointment. "She will be a great part of his team," he added.

Hoey said she would advise on a "non-partisan basis in respect of my lifetime commitment to bringing sport to the people of London".

She had acted in similar positions for other Conservative MPs including John Bercow and Patrick Mercer.

"This is not an endorsement of Boris Johnson for Mayor," said Hoey, who was one of the 39 Labour rebels who had been due to vote against Prime Minister Gordon Brown's 10p tax changes before last week's compromise.

"I will be voting for my party and Labour candidates on Thursday," she added. "I am a Labour MP and I am standing for Labour at the next election."

The Labour Party and Livingstone's office had no immediate comment.

The announcement comes a day after a survey showed Johnson had surged ahead of Livingstone, which echoed national polls showing support for Labour falling.

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