The post of "Minister for London" has been quietly abolished by David Cameron as part of a wider move to boost the role of Boris Johnson, the Evening Standard has learned. The Prime Minister has decided that the job is no longer required as it overlaps with the Mayor's responsibilities. The move to axe the ministerial post is part of a trend to cut costs and devolve power to City Hall and comes days after it emerged that the Government Office for London is also to close.
Labour has warned that the move is a retrograde step which will remove a voice for London in Whitehall and mean Londoners have less clout across the Lib-Con Government on issues such as Crossrail and other projects.
Ironically, at the same time as abolishing the post, Mr Cameron has decided to boost other cities across the country with their own "city minister". Senior Downing Street sources confirmed that the Prime Minister had opted to get rid of the Minister for London post because it duplicated some of the functions of the Mayor.
