Boris to unveil mayoral programme

9:25am Sunday 4th May 2008

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London's new mayor Boris Johnson will use his first few days in office to set out a wide-ranging programme for action, aides said.

Mr Johnson will make clear his intention to press ahead with some of the most controversial elements of his election manifesto, including knife arches and weapon scanners for Tube and rail stations.

He is also expected to make efforts to build bridges with London's ethnic minorities, after pledging in his victory acceptance speech to include representatives of all the capital's diverse communities in his administration.

Mr Johnson was attacked during the mayoral campaign as a divisive figure who would be unable to represent London's large ethnic minority population, but he has insisted since his victory that he aims to act as a unifying force.

Simon Woolley, director of pressure group Operation Black Vote, said: "As London's new mayor, Boris Johnson must now demonstrate that he understands what it means to govern a multi-cultural metropolis.

"Big business is crucial, but equally important is the challenge to address the half a million Londoners that live in poverty, the majority of whom will be African, Caribbean and Asian.

"Given the bitter nature of this contest, if Johnson is to be a successful mayor he must also begin by building co-operation and trust with black communities."