London Mayor Boris Johnson has said that “of course” he would like to be Prime Minister, and would not turn down the job if people wanted him to do it.
But Mr Johnson insisted he was focused on his job at City Hall, and that the chances of him being asked to serve as PM were slim.
The Mayor was cornered by pupils from Norwood School in south London, who were taking part in the BBC News School Report, for an interview broadcast on Radio 4’s Today programme.
Asked repeatedly whether he wanted to be PM, Mr Johnson replied: “If, like the Roman leader Cincinnatus, I were to be called from my plough to serve in that office I wouldn’t, of course, say ‘no’.
“But the chances of that happening are about as good as my being reincarnated as an olive. If people genuinely wanted me, of course I would want to do it.”
Pressed again on whether he would personally like to be PM, Mr Johnson sounded wistful as he replied “Well, you know…” before interrupting himself to say: “No, seriously, what I want to do is get on and do the best job I possibly can as Mayor of London. That’s all I can reasonably focus on at the moment.”
Mr Johnson added: “I’m very lucky to be Mayor of London. I have got three and a bit more years to go. I’ve got to get your buses running faster, I’ve got to crack crime, I’ve got to make sure people feel completely safe, I’ve got to get more people involved in sport.
“We’ve got all sorts of stuff to get on with and we’ve got to get the money from the Government to do it.”