London Mayor Boris Johnson gets role in Cameron's cabinet - but not an official seat

Prime Minister David Cameron gave London Mayor Boris Johnson, a popular figure widely seen as his possible successor, a political role in government on Monday but stopped short of giving him a ministerial portfolio.

“Boris Johnson will be attending my Political Cabinet. As promised, he will devote his attention to his final year as Mayor of London,” Cameron said on Twitter.

In last Thursday’s general election, Johnson was elected as a Conservative member of parliament for a London constituency but his mayoral term runs until May next year.

The political cabinet is a meeting of the official cabinet with the addition of a few extra people, a spokesman for Cameron’s Downing Street office said.

Unlike the official cabinet it excludes politically neutral civil servants and the matters discussed are party political.

Cameron’s announcement acknowledges Johnson’s prominent position in Conservative politics while keeping options open for a more specific role later when his mayoral term is over.

“The mayor has accepted an invitation from the prime minister to attend political cabinet,” a spokesman for Johnson said.