Boris wipes floor with audience and gets in policy jibes

The Mayor of London delighted activists with a joke-laden address in which he likened one Cabinet colleague to a J cloth and boasted of dancing “Gangnam-style” with the Prime Minister.

Attempting to quash what he described as “super-masticated” speculation over his leadership ambitions, Mr Johnson insisted Mr Cameron would emulate his own re-election success.

The Mayor said: “If we can win in a recession and wipe out a 17-point Labour lead, then I know that David Cameron will win in 2015, when the economy has turned round – and we are already seeing signs of progress – when people are benefiting from jobs and growth, and the firm leadership you have shown and the tough decisions you have taken, not least coming along to hear this speech today.”

Continuing to address the Prime Minister directly, he said: “I was pleased to see that you called me a ‘blond-haired mop’ in the papers. If I am a mop, David Cameron, you are a broom – a broom that is clearing up the mess left by the Labour government, and a fantastic job you are doing.

“I congratulate you and your colleagues George Osborne the dustpan, Michael Gove the J cloth, William Hague the sponge.

“It is the historic function of Conservative governments over the last 100 years to be the household implements on the floor of the house, so effective at clearing up after the Labour binge has got out of control.”

Speaking afterwards, Mr Johnson flatly ruled out re-entering parliament before the end of his Mayoral term in 2016 – a necessary precursor to any leadership bid. “It’s not going to happen,” he said.

Reiterating his call for a “Boris Island” airport to the south east of London, Mr Johnson also called for the top rate of tax to be reduced further.

“I don’t want to see us charging more in tax than any of our main rivals,” he said. “Why should we pay more tax here in Britain than they do in France, not a notably low-tax country, in Germany, Switzerland, even in Italy?

“We are starting to get to a situation where we are being tax-uncompetitive and that really does need to be addressed.”

Earlier this week Mr Johnson risked fuelling rumours of manoeuvring by expressing his preference for more grammar schools – a policy which would be popular with many traditional Tories.

But Mr Cameron laughed off suggestions that his position is under threat. “I think it is great that we have got someone with rock star status in the Tory Party,” he said.