Boris Johnson lodges privacy complaint

PCC to investigate The London Paper's Turkish holiday photos of Mayor's children

The new Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has lodged a privacy complaint with the Press Complaints Commission after The London Paper yesterday published photographs of his children on a family holiday in Turkey.


Mr Johnson has four young children and has already taken steps to protect their privacy. His press spokesman wrote to newspapers following his election as London Mayor to make plain the Mayor’s wish that his children’s privacy should be respected.


“They are young, they are not public figures and the mayor does not involve them in his public functions. There can be little legitimate public interest in reporting information about their private lives,” the letter said.


In a statement, Mr Johnson called the photographs an “an unwarranted intrusion into the private lives of his children” which had caused distress to one of his daughters. He also complained that his youngest son was “mocked”.


A PCC spokesman confirmed that complaint had been received from the mayor’s office and said the press regulator would investigate. Thd London Paper is a News International title distributed free in London and the South-East.


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