... as Johnson outlines plan to counter street crime

Boris Johnson has made the fight against street crime among London's youths the priority for his mayoralty.

Mr Johnson started his first week at City Hall by calling for action to halt the "disastrous" effects of "children too often growing up without boundaries and without respect".

He proposed a new network of 100 "Saturday schools" for disaffected children, and praised the work of London boxing clubs, saying they represented a route to "physical release" for young people as well as a path back into education.

Mr Johnson's first appointment was Ray Lewis as Deputy Mayor. The youth worker and former prison officer runs the charity Eastside Young Leaders Academy, which tries to turn around the lives of wayward young black boys.

Writing in the London Evening Standard, Mr Johnson said he was determined to tackle the stabbings and shootings that were "at the apex of a pyramid of violence, thuggery and bullying that is making life less pleasant for everyone in the city. Since this crisis is at or near the top of the problems of modern urban life, it should be the number one concern of a new mayor."

Mr Johnson repeated his pledge to put more uniformed police on the buses and said he wanted to press ahead with a ban on drinking on public transport.

He added: "I promise to listen to the youth of London, give the youth of London a voice, raising aspirations and engaging young people in positive activities."

In an address to staff yesterday, he emphasised his common ground with Ken Livingstone, promising to work with City Hall officials despite the change in the political regime.

He said: "I am going to be talking to the staff later on, making a very simple point. The differences between me and the previous mayor have been greatly exaggerated. We do have differences in our political philosophies, but that does not mean there are not areas of common ground."

Mr Johnson said he would also look at red tape and levels of council tax in his future dealings with the capital's boroughs.

deborah orr, page 27

the big question, page 31

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