Boris Johnson confirmed his status as the big
political winner of the Olympics and Paralympics as he shamelessly
upstaged David Cameron at yesterday’s victory parade.
As the Prime Minister looked on somewhat uncomfortably, the London Mayor left the huge crowd cheering ‘Boris, Boris’.
He even managed to raise a cheer for security company G4S, which failed to provide sufficient staff for the Games, leaving the armed forces to be called in.
Whipping
up a storm: David Cameron watches as Boris Johnson entertains the
masses on the Mall, confirming his status as the big political winner of
the games
Royal
joke: Princess Anne shares a Mobot joke with Boris Johnson at the
parade yesterday where London's Mayor whipped onlookers into a frenzy
The
PM meets swimming sensation Ellie Simmonds as athletes arrive at Queen
Elizabeth II Conference centre, Westminster, for a reception with David
Cameron
Mr Johnson ‘high fived’ spectators along the
parade route as he was treated like a pop star, but he was also forced
to fend off endless questions about his leadership ambitions.
By contrast, the Prime Minister delivered a low-key speech, which was received politely but with far less enthusiasm.
He was left to watch as Mr Johnson, who has emerged as the favourite to succeed him as Conservative leader, whipped onlookers into a frenzy.
Addressing the crowd on the Mall outside Buckingham Palace, the Mayor said the Games had come to a ‘final tear-sodden juddering climax’.
‘We should pay tribute to all the thousands of people who have delivered the greatest Olympic and Paralympic games that have ever been held,’ he declared.
Addressing the athletes gathered behind him, Mr Johnson added: ‘This was your achievement, you brought this country together in a way we never expected.
‘Speaking as a spectator you produced such a paroxysm of tears and joy on the sofas of Britain you probably not only inspired a generation, you probably helped to create one as well.’
Acknowledging how he appears to be defying political gravity, the Mayor added: I can get away with that. We say thank you to the armed services and the police and...and G4S and all the people who work for them, yes.
‘We should thank the people without whom the last six weeks would not have made sense and not have been possible: the most successful team of athletes this country has ever assembled.
‘You routed the doubters and you scattered the gloomsters and for the first time in living memory you caused Tube train passengers to break into spontaneous conversation with their neighbours about subjects other than their trod-on toes.’
Mr
Johnson boasted Britain had bagged more medals than France, Australia
and Germany and ‘made everybody very proud’, before suggesting Britain
had invented sport.
‘You brought sport home to a city and a country where by and large it was invented and codified,’ he declared. ‘Above all you brought home the truth about us and about this country – that when we put our minds to it there is no limit to what Britain can achieve.’
Speaking before the Mayor, Mr Cameron had hailed a ‘great British summer that will be remembered in hundreds of years to come’.
A
British Airways Airbus passes over the Queen Victoria memorial outside
Buckingham Palace during the finale of yesterday's victory parade
Message from on high: Airbus emblazoned with the words Thank You on its underbelly
In
an apparent swipe at Scottish first minister Alex Salmond’s plans for
independence, he added: ‘You showed us the best face of Britain, who we
really are, one United Kingdom, one flag, one celebration.
And you showed us all that we can be: all-welcoming, tolerant, vibrant, with a future every bit as exciting and thrilling as our past.’
The Mayor yesterday dismissed claims that he is plotting an early return to the Commons to try to seize the Conservative leadership as ‘complete cloud cuckoo land’.
‘I’m absolutely not going to be returning to Parliament, I’ve got a job to do here in London and that’s what I want to do and it’s a massive, engrossing job,’ he said.
However, talks have taken place among rebel Tory MPs about finding Mr Johnson a seat in the 2015 General Election so he is ready to replace Mr Cameron if the Prime Minister fails to win an overall majority.
And Channel 4 News reported that members of a rebel Tory cabal had already discussed running a candidate against Mr Cameron if the Conservatives experience poor results in 2013 local elections.
A peak audience of 7.7million saw the Paralympics closing ceremony on Channel 4. The average audience was 5.9million.
Olympic
volunteers pose in front of the National Gallery, copying Usain Bolt's
familiar pose as they wait for the victory parade to begin
Gratitude: David Cameron is to write to each volunteer to thank them for their role in 'inspiring' Britain
As the Prime Minister looked on somewhat uncomfortably, the London Mayor left the huge crowd cheering ‘Boris, Boris’.
He even managed to raise a cheer for security company G4S, which failed to provide sufficient staff for the Games, leaving the armed forces to be called in.
Whipping
up a storm: David Cameron watches as Boris Johnson entertains the
masses on the Mall, confirming his status as the big political winner of
the gamesRoyal
joke: Princess Anne shares a Mobot joke with Boris Johnson at the
parade yesterday where London's Mayor whipped onlookers into a frenzyThe
PM meets swimming sensation Ellie Simmonds as athletes arrive at Queen
Elizabeth II Conference centre, Westminster, for a reception with David
CameronBy contrast, the Prime Minister delivered a low-key speech, which was received politely but with far less enthusiasm.
He was left to watch as Mr Johnson, who has emerged as the favourite to succeed him as Conservative leader, whipped onlookers into a frenzy.
Addressing the crowd on the Mall outside Buckingham Palace, the Mayor said the Games had come to a ‘final tear-sodden juddering climax’.
‘We should pay tribute to all the thousands of people who have delivered the greatest Olympic and Paralympic games that have ever been held,’ he declared.
Addressing the athletes gathered behind him, Mr Johnson added: ‘This was your achievement, you brought this country together in a way we never expected.
‘Speaking as a spectator you produced such a paroxysm of tears and joy on the sofas of Britain you probably not only inspired a generation, you probably helped to create one as well.’
Acknowledging how he appears to be defying political gravity, the Mayor added: I can get away with that. We say thank you to the armed services and the police and...and G4S and all the people who work for them, yes.
‘We should thank the people without whom the last six weeks would not have made sense and not have been possible: the most successful team of athletes this country has ever assembled.
‘You routed the doubters and you scattered the gloomsters and for the first time in living memory you caused Tube train passengers to break into spontaneous conversation with their neighbours about subjects other than their trod-on toes.’
‘You brought sport home to a city and a country where by and large it was invented and codified,’ he declared. ‘Above all you brought home the truth about us and about this country – that when we put our minds to it there is no limit to what Britain can achieve.’
Speaking before the Mayor, Mr Cameron had hailed a ‘great British summer that will be remembered in hundreds of years to come’.
A
British Airways Airbus passes over the Queen Victoria memorial outside
Buckingham Palace during the finale of yesterday's victory paradeMessage from on high: Airbus emblazoned with the words Thank You on its underbellyAnd you showed us all that we can be: all-welcoming, tolerant, vibrant, with a future every bit as exciting and thrilling as our past.’
The Mayor yesterday dismissed claims that he is plotting an early return to the Commons to try to seize the Conservative leadership as ‘complete cloud cuckoo land’.
‘I’m absolutely not going to be returning to Parliament, I’ve got a job to do here in London and that’s what I want to do and it’s a massive, engrossing job,’ he said.
However, talks have taken place among rebel Tory MPs about finding Mr Johnson a seat in the 2015 General Election so he is ready to replace Mr Cameron if the Prime Minister fails to win an overall majority.
And Channel 4 News reported that members of a rebel Tory cabal had already discussed running a candidate against Mr Cameron if the Conservatives experience poor results in 2013 local elections.
A peak audience of 7.7million saw the Paralympics closing ceremony on Channel 4. The average audience was 5.9million.
Olympic
volunteers pose in front of the National Gallery, copying Usain Bolt's
familiar pose as they wait for the victory parade to beginGratitude: David Cameron is to write to each volunteer to thank them for their role in 'inspiring' Britain
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